Box Score UNION, N.J. (March 31, 2014) – The No. 4-ranked Kean University baseball team exploded for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and went on to defeat Rutgers University-Camden, 7-5, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Monday afternoon.
Two days after the Scarleet Raptors blanked the Cougars, 3-0, in the rain on Saturday that forced the second game to be postponed, Kean got even in the makeup game. The result leaves both teams with a 1-1 mark in NJAC play. Kean is 15-4 overall, while Rutgers-Camden is 9-5-1 after watching its four-game winning streak get snapped.
With the Scarlet Raptors holding a 5-3 lead, the Cougars turned three hits, an error, a wild pitch and a hit batsman into their decisive four-run sixth inning. The game-tying hit was a two-run pinch-hit single from sophomore
Ryan Reitmeyer (Lacey Township, NJ/Lacey Township). The eventual winning run scored on a ground out by sophomore designated hitter
Matt Meleo (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial), while Reitmeyer added an insurance run when he scored on a wild pitch.
The Scarlet Raptors built their lead behind the booming bat of senior rightfielder
(Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) took the loss. Martin (1-2) worked 5-2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs, only three of them earned. He walked two and struck out three.
In addition to the big day by Gonzalez, freshman designated hitter
Joe Brooks (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) went 3-for-3 with two runs for the Scarlet Raptors.
Sophomore catcher
D.J. Ross (Hopatcong, NJ/Hopatcong) went 2-for-3 with one run as the only Cougar to get multiple hits.
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Tuesday, hosting Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham in a 3:30 p.m. non-conference game.
