UNION, N.J. (April 21, 2017) – Kean University topped Rutgers University-Newark in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) baseball game Friday afternoon in Union, N.J.
 
The two teams split the home-and-home series one game apiece, and the Scarlet Raiders will return to action with a league doubleheader Saturday at Riverfront Stadium against Ramapo College beginning at 4 p.m.
 
Rutgers-Newark drops to 8-4 in the NJAC and 21-8-1 overall, while Kean improves to 7-5 in the league and 21-12 overall.
 
Kean scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, but Rutgers-Newark came right back in the top half of the second to tie the game. Junior Anthony Perconte singled to lead off the inning and junior Ross Halkias was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Both runners advanced on a balk, with Perconte crossing the plate on a wild pitch and Halkias coming around on an RBI single from freshman Colin Powers.
 
Scarlet Raider starter Anthony Rosoline allowed just one run after the Cougars had runners on first and third with nobody out in the third, and Rutgers-Newark tied the game 3-3 when sophomore Ryan Zucker scored on a Perconte groundout after leading off the fifth inning with a walk.
 
The Cougars took the lead for good in their half of the sixth, pushing across two runs on two hits, and despite bringing the tying run to the plate in the eighth and ninth thanks to hits from freshman John Klimowich and senior Josh Cote, the Cougar hurlers were able to keep the Raiders off the scoreboard further.
 
Rutgers-Newark totaled six hits in the game, getting one apiece from Zucker, Cote, Klimowich, Perconte, Halkias and Powers. Powers and Perconte had the Rutgers-Newark RBI, and Zucker, Perconte and Halkias tallied the Rutgers-Newark runs.
 
Rosoline went the first six innings for the Scarlet Raiders, allowing five runs – three earned – on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Senior Chas Bohannon scattered three hits in two scoreless innings of relief, striking out a pair.
 
Kean had nine hits in the game, getting three from third baseman Nick Polizzano and two hits and three RBI from first baseman Matt Krupa.
 
Mike Occhi pitched five scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits to improve to 5-0 on the season. He struck out eight.