NCAA Game 11
Top-seeded Kean made the most of its two hits and two Keystone errors to advance to the title game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional with a 4-2 win, Friday at PNC Field in Moosic, PA.
The Cougars used a two-out rally in the bottom of the second to score all four of their runs.
Kevin Herget scattered nine hits over nine innings to earn the complete game victory while Keystone’s Pat Robinson allowed just two hits in eight innings of work and held Kean to minimum over the final six innings.
With two away in the bottom of the second, Ryan Kelley and Shane Alvarez drew back-to-back two-out walks and Michael Kendall laced a single down the right field line to give Kean a 1-0 lead.
Kean went ahead 2-0 when the throw to first on Matt Meleo’s bunt was wide of the bag. Tyler Smarslok followed with a line drive single through the right side to make it 4-0.
Keystone got a run back in the top of the fourth. Tyler Gurman bounced a single up the middle and was erased on Gabriel Ramirez’ fielder’s choice. After Ramirez moved up on a wild pitch, Gabriel Molina walked and Ricky Riscica served an opposite field single to left with Ramirez beating the throw home to make it 4-1.
The Giants scored again in the seventh. Kevin Catherina drew a leadoff walk and moved second when Austin Straub was hit by a pitch. Tyler Gurman steered an RBI-single through the second base hole to score Catherina and make it 4-2.
Keystone threatened in the seventh when Rick McLaughlin grounded an 0-2 pitch up the middle and moved to second when Miquel Castano’s single up the middle deflected off Herget into short left field. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, but Gurman flied out to the warning track in left to end the inning.
The Giants got the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth when Ramirez blooped a two-out single to short left center, but Molina flew out to deep left to end the game.
Kean managed just one base runner after the second inning when Ramagli reached on an error in the sixth, but he was erased on an inning-ending double play.
Kean improves to 37-10 and advances to the title game for the seventh consecutive year, Saturday at 3:30.
Keystone, 35-9, will await the Misericordia/Ramapo survivor, Saturday at noon.
