Box Score
TRENTON, NJ – The second seed Kean University won 4-3 over the sixth seed Rowan University in the first round of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Tournament on Saturday. The double elimination first round tournament is being held at Waterfront Park.
Kean (38-11) plays the top seed Johns Hopkins University (42-4) in the championship round at 5 p.m. Johns Hopkins has not lost a game in the first round tournament while Kean has one loss that was against Rowan, 8-3 on Thursday. It was the second tournament loss for the Profs who end the season with a 26-16-1 record.
If Kean defeats Johns Hopkins, the two teams will meet again on Sunday, May 23 at 1 p.m. The winner at Trenton will advance to the finals of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Friday, May 28-Sunday, June 1 at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, WI.
Right-hander Julian Diaz (so. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) pitched a complete game for the win. He (6-1) scattered six hits and gave up three earned runs. Diaz struck out seven batters. Righty Steven Melchiorre (fr. Atco, NJ/Hammonton) took the loss. In 4.2 innings, Melchiorre (1-1) allowed five hits and three runs, one was earned.
The Cougars were led by right fielder Nick Nolan (jr. Linden, NJ/Roselle Catholic) with two hits (four at bats), one RBI and one run scored. Left fielder Dylan Laguna (so. Edison, NJ/Edison) contributed with two hits in four at bats and one run scored. Catcher Eddie Jennings (so. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Mem.) chipped in with one hit (three at bats) and two RBIs. Designated hitter Ken Gregory (jr Pittstown, NJ/Immaculata) recorded a double and one RBI. Center fielder Ryan Gibbons (so. Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) and first baseman Lee Cavico (so. North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) each had one hit and scored one run.
For the Profs, designated hitter Kevin O’Brien (jr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) was two for three with two RBIs, one run scored and a home run. Right fielder Jordan Marsch (sr. Brick, NJ/Brick Twp.) produced two hits in four at bats. Right-hander Jeff White (jr. Stratford, NJ/Sterling) and Marsch were selected to the All-Tournament Team. Catcher Nick Turano (so. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) registered one hit (three at bats) and one RBI. Center fielder Matt Citro (jr. Bloomsbury, NJ/Phillipsburg) had a double and one run scored.
Kean got on the scoreboard with one run in the first inning. Gibbons led off with double to right field. He went to third on an error and came home on Gregory’s ground out. Rowan tied the score in the bottom half. Turano’s double down the left field line scored Citro. Citro had reached base with a double and moved to third on a ground out.
In the top of the fourth, the Cougars went ahead 3-1. Nolan had a RBI single and he later crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice with Jennings at bat. Kean made the score 4-1 with one run in the sixth inning. Jennings singled home Cavico who got on base with a single.
Rowan pulled within one run (4-3) after a two run homer by O’Brien in the bottom of the ninth inning. Turano walked and was replaced by pinch runner Nate Floyd (fr. Erial, NJ/Timber Creek Reg.). With two outs, O’Brien homered over the right field fence, scoring Floyd. It was his fourth home run on the season.
The schedule/results for the first round tournament are below and online at http://www.keanathletics.com/NCAA/baseball2010/index:
Wednesday, May 19
Game 1: #5 Keystone College 13, #4 Alvernia University 3
Game 2: #1 Johns Hopkins University 13, #8 Moravian College 4
Game 3: #6 Rowan University 11, #3 Widener University 5
Game 4: #2 Kean University 3, #7 Manhattanville College 0
Thursday, May 20
Game 5: #4 Alvernia University 7, #8 Moravian College 3 (Moravian eliminated)
Game 6: #3 Widener University 9, #7 Manhattanville College 2 (Manhattanville eliminated)
Game 7: #1 Johns Hopkins University 9, #5 Keystone College 4
Game 8: #6 Rowan University 8, #2 Kean University 3
Friday, May 21
Game 9: #3 Widener University 7, #5 Keystone College 3 (Keystone eliminated)
Game 10: #2 Kean University 3, #4 Alvernia University 2 (Alvernia eliminated)
Game 11: #1 Johns Hopkins University 9, #6 Rowan University 4
Game 12: #2 Kean University 8, #3 Widener University 2 (Widener eliminated)
Saturday, May 22
Game 13: #2 Kean University 4, #6 Rowan University 3 (Rowan eliminated)
Game 14: #1 Johns Hopkins University (42-4) vs. #2 Kean University (38-11), 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 23
Game 15: winner game 14 vs. loser game 14 (if necessary), 1 p.m.
