Union, N.J. (2/23/20) – Graduate student Kevin Stewart tossed a tidy seven innings of shutout ball with seven strikeouts as the Kean University baseball team topped FDU-Florham by the final of 8-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Stewart (2-0) allowed just three singles and no walks while facing just two batters above the minimum. 

The Cougars (4-2) got all the runs they would need in their first at-bat plating seven runs in the first.  Philip Mahlik worked a full-count walk to lead things off and Cristian Corcione followed with a single.  A successful sacrifice from Chris Ciaccio moved both runners into scoring position as Ciaccio reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases.  A force out kept the runners from scoring but again kept the bases loaded with one out.  Mike Lapczynski answered with an RBI single but the Devils gunned down the runner trying to advance from second home to give Kean two outs with runners on second and third.  Mike Medvetz reached on an error that would have ended the inning and the Cougars capitalized.  Chris Vetter and Zach Joe both registered RBI singles and Conner DeForge drove home two with a triple.  Mahlik, batting for his second time in the frame, rounded out the scoring with an RBI double.

Kean added a single run in the fifth for an 8-0 lead as Zachary Marzano was hit to lead off the inning.  He stole second and moved to third on a balk.  Lapczynski drove him home with his second RBI single of the afternoon.

The Devils (0-2) erased the shutout in the top of the ninth.  Ryan Toomey got things going as he was hit-by-a-pitch.  After a flyout, AJ Yurista and Matt Nodoro each singled to load the bases.  A groundout from Vincent Ferrigno brought across FDU's first run, leaving them with just one out.  A throwing error from the Cougars allowed two runs to score before a flyout ended the contest.

Kean collected nine hits on the afternoon, including triples from Joe and DeForge. 

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday when they host Moravian.