Union, N.J. (2/22/12) – Sophomore Joe O'Connor was 3-for-4 with two RBI and a solo shot as he helped the #3 Kean University baseball team to an opening day victory over Stevens Institute of Technology by the final of 7-3.

O'Connor was a double short of the cycle as Kean picked up their second straight opening day win over the Ducks. 

Stevens (0-1) was first to get on the board in the second as they pushed across two runs on three hits, aided with a Cougar miscue.  Catcher Curt Lowenstein got things going with an RBI single up the middle.  The Ducks would later score another off a double play ball. 

Kean got one back in their half of the inning as O'Connor lifted a two-out RBI single to score senior Steve Sanguiliano who reached on a leadoff single.  The Cougars (1-0) tied things up in the bottom of the third as Sanguiliano produced a two-out RBI single of his own, scoring senior Vinny Galya who reached on a leadoff walk.

The Cougars took their first lead of the game, a lead they would not relinquish, in the fourth as O'Connor got things going with a leadoff triple.  He would score on an RBI single by rookie Anthony Fischetti.  Fischetti would cross the plate later in the inning off a Duck miscue. 

Southpaw Ryan Zamorsky earned the win for Kean.  Zamorsky (1-0) tossed 6.1 innings allowing three runs, two earned, with fanning five.  Sophomore Matt Mantione picked up the save as he tossed 2.2 innings, striking out four and allowing just two hits.  Junior Mark Poinsett suffered the loss for Stevens.  He tossed four innings allowing four runs, three earned, and six hits. 

Kean returns to action on Friday when they host the College of Mt. St. Vincent at 2 p.m.