Union, NJ – Keystone College outhit host Kean University, currently ranked sixth in the country, 9-4, but stranded 10 runners on base and were unable to take advantage of four errors by the Cougars in a 3-2 setback in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday afternoon. Kean improves to 13-4 on the season while the Giants fall to 7-4 this spring.
The Giants also fall to 1-18 all-time against Kean, with their only win over the Cougars coming in the 2013 NCAA Regionals at PNC Field, 2-0.
Kean took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of Wednesday afternoon's contest on an RBI groundout by Matt Meleo, but Keystone was able to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning.
Julian Lanfranco (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a throwing error by Kean's pitcher on a sacrifice bunt by
Dylan Corl (Morrisdale, PA/West Branch ).
Louis Reyes (Port St. Lucie, FL/Treasure Coast) then singled down the left field line to score drive in Corl with the go-ahead run.
Kean went back in front for good in the home half of the fourth inning when George Gillies hit a two-run double down the left field line to plate a pair of Cougars as the hosts took a 3-2 lead.
Keystone put runners on second and third with one out in the eighth inning and also put the tying run in scoring position in their last at-bats, but were unable to push across another run to force extra innings.
Chris Amato earned the win in relief for Kean, tossing six scoreless innings while allowing four hits and striking out three batters for the Cougars, who got hits from four different players. Starter Christopher Rossi was chased after allowing two runs on five hits and two walks to go along with a pair of strikeouts in three innings of work.
Keystone's
Nate Ross (Albuquerque, NM/La Cueva) went 3-4 at the plate while Reyes, Lanfranco, and
Kevin Luciano (Everett, MA/Cambridge Rindge and Latin School) added a pair of hits each in the loss.
Giants' starter
Hector Vargas (Queens, NY/Forest Hills) allowed one run on five walks to go along with one strikeout in 1.1 innings of work.
Darren Lauer (New Hope, PA/Council Rock North) came on in relief and yielded a pair of runs on four hits while fanning one batter in 6.2 innings on the hill.
Keystone will host St. John Fisher College on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. at Christy Mathewson Field. The Giants home opener against the Cardinals will feature two, nine-inning games.
