Union, N.J. (3/11/15) – Catcher Mike Kendall was 3-for-3 as the Kean University baseball team pushed past Gwynedd Mercy University by the final of 4-3 Wednesday afternoon in a rescheduled matchup.
The #6/15 Cougars improve to 6-1 while the Griffins fall to 0-6 this spring. This contest was the fourth opponent ranked in the top 10 this season that Gwynedd Mercy has faced.
Kean jumped out to a 4-0 lead with three runs in the third and another in the fourth. Back-to-back doubles by Kendall and junior Matt Meleo led off the inning, putting both runners in scoring position. Sophomore Scott Durkin drove in one with a comebacker up the middle and Meleo came around to score on a passed ball. Junior Ryan Reitmeyer rounded out the scoring in the third frame with a sac fly.
Kendall blooped in his second double of the afternoon for an RBI in the fourth take a 4-0 advantage.
The Griffins then chipped away and scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to pull within one. Chris Carmolingo led off the fifth with a single and later in the inning scored on a wild pitch. With the bases loaded now and two outs, southpaw Richie Ferguson entered the game in relief and thwarted the threat forcing a looking strikeout to end the inning.
Brett Kozlowski made it 4-2 after working a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, but Ferguson was again able to get out of the jam with a groundout.
Eric Heaney inched the Griffins closer with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, but reliever Vinny Zanfordino was able work out of trouble with a pop up.
The Griffins threatened again in the eighth, but Kean worked around the first and third, one-out situation by catching the runner trying to swipe home on a double steal attempt. Zanfordino got three quick outs to seal the win in the ninth.
Zanfordino earned his first save of the year after tossing three innings of shutout ball. Ferguson picked up the win in relief. He allowed two runs and three hits. Offensively Ryan Kelley recorded two hits on the afternoon for Kean.
First baseman Beau Fleming had a 3-for-4 day for Gwynedd Mercy while outfielder Rick Elfreth walked four times in the contest.
The Cougars head to the west coast for a six game swing beginning on Friday. Kean will face Whittier College at 3 p.m. local time.