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Kean Wins NJAC Championship, 14-1 Over TCNJ

Baseball

Kean Wins NJAC Championship, 14-1 Over TCNJ

Box Score

GLASSBORO, NJ – Second seeded Kean University defeated the fourth seed The College of New Jersey, 14-1 in the championship game of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Sunday. The tournament was played at Rowan University.

Kean (32-10) receives an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. It is the Cougars’ third NJAC title. TCNJ (23-19) must wait until Sunday, May 16 to see if it receives an at-large bid to the national tournament.

Right-hander Julian Diaz (so. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) pitched six innings, scattering six hits for the win. He (5-1) struck out eight hitters and did not allow a run. Righty Connor Henderson (jr. Monmouth Jct., NJ/S. Brunswick) took the loss. In five innings, he (7-2) gave up eight runs, seven were earned.

Cougars’ designated hitter Ken Gregory (jr. Pittstown, NJ/Immaculata) went three for four with two RBIs, one run scored and two doubles. Catcher Eddie Jennings (so. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Mem.) posted three hits (five at bats), two runs scored and one RBI. Second baseman Mike Moceri (sr. Yardville, NJ/Hamilton E.) and shortstop Steven Giambrone (so. Roebling, NJ/Florence Twp.) both had three hits in five at bats. Moceri scored two runs and had one RBI, while Giambrone tallied two RBIs and one run scored.

Left fielder Dylan Laguna (so. Edison, NJ/Edison) was one for five with two RBIs and one run scored. Right fielder Nick Nolan (jr. Linden, NJ/Roselle Catholic) totaled two hits (five at bats), one run scored and a triple. First baseman Lee Cavico (so. North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) collected one hit (four at bats), two RBIs and two runs scored. Third baseman Chris Carrano (jr. Lincoln Park, NJ/Boonton) registered one hit (four at bats), three runs scored and one RBI.

For TCNJ, shortstop Jason Zegarski (jr. Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) went three for five with one run scored. Left fielder Chris Esperon (sr. Union, NJ/Union Catholic) and third baseman Nick Cifelli (fr. Ewing, NJ/Ewing) each compiled two hits in four at bats. First baseman James Ruzich (so. Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberly Academy) drove in one run.

Kean scored one run in the second, third and fourth innings. Nolan led off the second with a triple down the left field line in the second. He came in on a sacrifice fly by Carrano. In the third, Laguna’s single to third base plated Moceri. Carrano walked and later scored on an error in the fourth inning.

The Cougars added five runs in the top of the fifth. Moceri singled and went to second on an error. Gregory drove him in with a single through the right side. Laguna and Nolan were both hit by a pitch to load the bases. Cavico hit a two-run single to left field that brought Laguna and Gregory home. Giambrone ripped a single up the middle that knocked in Carrano and Cavico.

In the top of the seventh, Moceri singled in Jennings and Gregory had a RBI double to make the score, 10-0. In the bottom half, Zegarski singled. He went to second on an error then moved to third on an fielder’s choice. Zegarski crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice by Ruzich. Kean tacked on four runs in the eighth. Jennings and second baseman D.J. Breckenridge (so. Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven Reg.) each hit a RBI single. Designated hitter Kyle Walker (jr. Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) walked with the bases loaded, bringing in Jennings. Laguna hit into a fielder’s choice and center fielder Vinny Galya (so. Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) scored.

The results for the NJAC Baseball Championship Tournament are below.

Tue., May 4 (at higher seeds)
Game 1 - #6 Montclair State University 3, #1 Rowan University 2 (11 inn.)
Game 2 - #2 Kean University 8, #5 Richard Stockton College 7
Game 3 - #4 The College of New Jersey 11, #3 Rutgers-Newark 9

Thu., May 6 (at higher seeds)
Game 4 - #1 Rowan University 10, #5 Richard Stockton College 7
(Richard Stockton is eliminated.)
Game 5 - #6 Montclair State University 13, #3 Rutgers-Newark 10
(Rutgers-Newark is eliminated.)
Game 6 - #2 Kean University 6, #4 The College of New Jersey 1

Sat., May 8 (at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ)
Game 7 – #2 Kean University 12, #6 Montclair State University 3
Game 8 – #4 The College of New Jersey 6, #1 Rowan University 4
(Rowan is eliminated.)
Game 9 – #4 The College of New Jersey 6, #6 Montclair State University 4
(Montclair State is eliminated.)

Sun., May 9 (at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ)
Game 10 – #2 Kean University 14, #4 The College of New Jersey 1
(The College of New Jersey is eliminated.)
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