Union, N.J. (3/2/12) – Neumann University pushed across the winning run in the top of the 11th to give the Knights a 4-3 win over the Kean University baseball team on Friday afternoon in non-conference action.
With the win Neumann improves to 5-3 this season while the loss drops Kean to 4-2.
Senior Eric Silakowski led off the 11th with a walk and after advancing to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout, putting the go-ahead run on third with one out. Senior Bobby Callan, who entered the game in the ninth inning, would record a single though the left side for the winning run.
The Knights rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the in their half of the seventh as rookie Buddy Elgin led off the frame with a triple. One batter later he would cross the plate on an RBI single off the bat of Marty Sessa. Later in the inning, junior Will Flores recorded a triple of his own to knot the score at three-all.
The Cougars broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore Joe'Connor led off the inning with a triple. Senior Dylan Laguna would walk put runners on the corners. O'Connor would score off an RBI single from junior Nick Ramagli and Laguna would cross the plate later in the inning of a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Nick Zucchero.
Junior Mike Dicken earned the win in relief for the Knights. Dicken (2-0) walked one and fanned four in four and two thirds innings of work. Junior Erik Klimoff picked up the save with a one-two-three 11th. Reliever Steve Sanguiliano suffered the loss for Kean. He allowed just one run and three hits in four and two thirds innings.
Offensively O'Connor was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Laguna was 2-for-2. For Neumann, Flores was a homerun shy of the cycle after finishing 3-for-5 with a run scored and RBI.
Kean returns to action on Saturday with a schedule split doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.