Box Score

LAKEWOOD, NJ – Top seeded Kean University defeated the second seed Rowan University, 4-3 in the third round of the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional on Friday night. The tournament is being held at FirstEnergy Park.

Kean (38-9) advances to play the sixth seed Johns Hopkins University (27-12) on Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m. Rowan finishes the season with a 31-13-1 record. Earlier on Friday, the third seed Alvernia University (37-7) topped Rowan, 11-4 and Johns Hopkins eliminated the eighth seed Catholic University (23-21), 7-2. The final game of the evening features Alvernia versus the fourth seed Misericordia University (30-14) at 10:35 p.m.

The regional tournament is double elimination. The winner advances to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Friday-Tuesday, May 27-31 at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, WI.

Right-hander Mike Russo (jr. Hamilton, NJ/Hun School of Princeton) threw a complete game for the win. He (10-1) allowed three runs, two earned on six hits. Russo struck out six batters. Lefty Curtis Arsi (jr. Washington Twp., NJ/Westwood Reg.) took the loss. He (5-4) went the distance giving up four runs, three earned on 11 hits.

Cougars’ right fielder Nick Nolan (sr. Linden, NJ/Roselle Catholic) went three for four with two runs scored. Third baseman Nick Ramagli (so. Emerson, NJ/Emerson) produced two hits (three at bats) and one RBI. Designated hitter Dylan Laguna (jr. Edison, NJ/Edison) compiled one hit (four at bats) and one RBI. Shortstop Tyler Smarslok (fr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) and second baseman Chris Carrano (sr. Lincoln Park, NJ/Boonton) registered one hit and one run scored apiece.

For the Profs, center fielder Matt Citro (sr. Bloomsbury, NJ/Phillipsburg) tallied two hits (five at bats) and three RBIs. Right fielder Kevin O’Brien (sr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) scored two runs. Catcher Nick Turano (jr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) was one for four with one run scored.

With two outs in the top of the first inning, O’Brien walked. Turano followed with a single up the middle. Citro hit a two run single over the shortstop’s head bringing in O’Brien and Turano. Kean tied the game (2-2) in the third. Smarslok hit a leadoff single up the middle. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by center fielder Vinny Galya (jr. Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) and went to third on a passed ball. Carrano was walked and first baseman Lee Cavico’s (jr. North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) sacrifice fly to left field, plated Smarslok. Left fielder Ken Gregory (sr. Pittstown, NJ/Immaculata) singled and Carrano advanced to second. The runners moved to second and third on back-to-back wild pitches. Laguna singled to left field scoring Carrano.

The Cougars went ahead, 3-2 with one run in the sixth. Nolan hit a one out single to shortstop and went to second on a passed ball. Catcher Eddie Jennings (jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Mem.) got on base on an error and Nolan came home.

Kean added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Nolan led off with an infield single. He moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jennings. Ramagli hit a RBI single down the right field line and Nolan crossed the plate. In the top of the ninth, O’Brien reached on a fielder’s choice. He went to second on a wild pitch and Citro drove him in with a single to right field.

For more information and results visit the Mid-Atlantic Regional website at: http://www.keanathletics.com/NCAA/baseball2011/index.

The updated schedule for the Mid-Atlantic Regional is below:

Wednesday, May 18
Game 1 - #4 Misericordia University 3, #5 Messiah College 1
Game 2 - #8 Catholic University 3, #1 Kean University 2
Game 3 - #3 Alvernia University 2, #6 Johns Hopkins University 1

Thursday, May 19
Game 4 - #2 Rowan University 8, #7 Randolph-Macon College 5
Game 5 - #1 Kean University 6, #5 Messiah College 0 (Messiah is eliminated.)
Game 6 - #6 Johns Hopkins University 8, #7 Randolph-Macon College 5
(Randolph-Macon is eliminated.)
Game 7 - #4 Misericordia University 4, #8 Catholic University 0

Friday, May 20
Game 8 - #3 Alvernia University 11, #2 Rowan University 4
Game 9 - #6 Johns Hopkins University 7, #8 Catholic University 2 (Catholic is eliminated.)
Game 10 - #1 Kean University 4, #2 Rowan University 3 (Rowan is eliminated.)
Game 11 - #4 Misericordia University (30-14) vs. #3 Alvernia University (37-7), 10:35 p.m.

Saturday, May 21
Game 12 - #1 Kean University (38-9) vs. #6 Johns Hopkins University (27-12), 10:00 a.m.
Game 13 - winner game 12 vs. loser game 11, 1:15 p.m.
Game 14 - winner game 11 vs. winner game 13, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 22
Game 15 - winner game 14 vs. loser game 14 (if necessary), 1:00 p.m.