Game One - Box Score
Game Two - Box Score

UNION, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team won 7-4 over Kean University in the second game of the final conference doubleheader on Saturday.  The Cougars had a 4-3 victory in the opener and clinched the top seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament.

Kean has a 30-8 record with a 14-4 conference mark.  Rowan is 28-12 overall and 12-6 in the NJAC.  The Profs are the third seed in the conference tournament.  In the first round of the NJAC Championship Tournament, Rowan hosts the fourth seed Richard Stockton College on Tuesday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m.

In the first game, the score was tied at three going into the ninth inning.  Left fielder Joe O’Connor (jr. Wharton, NJ/Morris Hills) had a sacrifice fly and second baseman Tyler Smarslok (jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) scored the winning run. 

Smarslock ended the game with two hits (four at bats), a triple and two runs scored.  Right fielder Shane Alvarez (jr. Franklin, NJ/St. Joseph (Metuchen)) was two for four with one RBI.  Catcher James Lyczkowski (so. Port Reading, NJ/Woodbridge) contributed with three hits in four at bats and he had one double.  Shortstop Nick Ramagli (sr. Emerson, NJ/Emerson) chipped in with three hits (four at bats) and a double.  Designated hitter Ryan Reitmeyer (fr. Lacey Twp., NJ/Lacey Twp.) added one hit and one run scored.  Pinch runner Connor Paglia (fr. East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) scored one run.

Right-hander Charles Thielmann (so. Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) pitched a complete game for the victory.  He (7-1) allowed three runs, one earned.  Righty Brian Sietsma (jr. Mahwah, NJ/Eastern Christian) took the loss.  He (0-3) gave up one earned run.

For Rowan, left fielder Nick Kreiger (so. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) went two for four with one run scored on.  Second baseman Mark Benak (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) produced two hits (four at bats) and one RBI.  Catcher Stephen Petriello (fr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) had a double and one RBI.  Center fielder Eric Perez (jr. Fords, NJ/Woodbridge) registered two hits (four at bats) and scored two runs.

After the first inning the score was tied at one.  Petriello doubled in Kreiger while Smarslok scored on a ground out.  Kean had a RBI base hit by Alvarez in the second for a 2-1 advantage.  The Profs had a 3-2 lead after scoring one run in the fifth and seventh innings. 

Benak had a single that scored Perez in the fifth.  Perez went to third on a wild pitch in the seventh and came home on an error.  The Cougars tied the game at three in the eighth inning when Paglia scored on a wild pitch.

In the second contest, right-hander Dylan Johannink (so. Medford Lakes, NJ/Shawnee) threw 7.2 relief innings for the win.  He (3-0) only allowed three hits and had nine strikeouts.  Righty Andrew Torres (fr. Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) was the losing pitcher.  He (1-1) gave up one hit and two runs, one earned.

Profs’ right fielder Eric Sellitto (jr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) produced two hits (five at bats) and two RBIs.  Third baseman Kevin McMenamin (so. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) was three for five with a double and one run scored.  Kreiger produced two hits (four at bats), a double, one RBI and two runs scored.  Shortstop Ryan Williams (so. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) contributed with two hits and one RBI.  Catcher C.J. Szymczak (sr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) chipped in with a double and one RBI.  First baseman Sean Kelly (sr. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) had two RBIs and one run scored.   

Smarslok had two hits in four at bats and two RBIs.  Designated hitter Aaron MacKenzie (fr. Delran, NJ/Delran) registered one hit, two RBIs and one run scored.  Right fielder Ryan Kelley (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) had two hits in four at bats and one run scored.  First baseman Salvatore Taormina (fr. Brookyn, NY/Xaverian) and O’Connor each scored one run.

Rowan trailed 4-1 after Kean scored four runs in the second inning.  The Profs went ahead 5-4 in the third.  Kelly reached base on a fielder’s choice and Kreiger crossed the plate on an error.  Sellitto drove in two runs with a single to left field.  Benak and designated hitter Casey Grimes (so. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) each scored.  Williams knocked in Kelly with a single.  Rowan sealed the win with two runs in the ninth inning.  McMenamin led off with a double down the left field line and came home on a double by Szymczak.  Kreiger drove in pinch runner Bobby Romano (so. Vineland, NJ/Vineland) with a double down the right field line.