Reading, Pa. (Mar. 19, 2018) - Kean University (7-10) scored two in the eighth and two in the ninth to steal a 7-5 win from Alvernia University (11-4) Monday afternoon snapping an 8-game win streak for the Golden Wolves.
Both teams put up crooked numbers in the third inning with Alvernia taking a 5-3 lead that it held until the eighth.
Kean loaded the bases with two singles and a walk in the top of the eighth all with one out before freshman Anthony Laureano slapped a 1-2 pitch down the right field line to drive in a pair of runs.
The Cougars tried to execute a squeeze with two strikes on the next batter, but he bunted through the pitch and the runner from third was tagged out in a rundown to end the inning.
Alvernia got the potential go-ahead run to third base with one out in the bottom of the eighth and eventually loaded the bases, but Mike Cirilli grounded out to short to end the threat.
Kean opened the ninth with a single to center from Chris Vetter, and he moved up on a passed ball. Â He moved to third when Frank LoGiudice pulled a gounder to first and scored on a single to right.
The Cougars tacked on an insurance run before Alvernia reliever Tim Carfrey stranded a runner at third with a strikeout.
Matt Briner walked with one out in the bottom of the ninth and Ben Dubas followed with another free pass to put the potential tying run on base. Â Hunter Hart then dropped down a well-placed bunt to load the bases with one out, but Kean reliever Fernando Zayas got a pop out to short and picked Dubas off second to end the game.
Cirilli and Franco Esposito had two hits apiece. Â Zack Landy threw a solid six innings in the start giving up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts, and Matt Brennan gave up the two runs in the ninth to take the loss.
Alvernia continues the season against The College of New Jersey on Wednesday.
Kean 7, Alvernia 5
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