May 29, 2007

KEAN CAPTURES THE NCAA DIVISION III BASEBALL
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

BECOMES THE 43RD NJAC TEAM TO WIN A NATIONAL CROWN

With a 5-4 10-inning victory over Emory in the national championship game on May 29, the Kean baseball team captured the 2007 NCAA Division III National Championship at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, WI. In doing so, Kean became the 43rd team in the history of the New Jersey Athletic Conference to capture a National Championship, and the first since Rutgers-Camden garnered the NCAA Division III Softball crown on May 22, 2006.

The Cougars' title marked the ninth time in the 32-year history of the Division III baseball championship that an NJAC team has garnered the crown. Kean became the fifth different NJAC institution to capture NCAA Division III baseball's top prize, joining Rowan (1978 & 1979), Ramapo (1984), Montclair State (1987, 1993 & 2000) and William Paterson (1992 & 1996).

“No matter how much money you make, what position you’re in in life, you can’t buy these things,” said Kean coach Neil Ioviero. “You have to earn these. And no matter what [the players] do for the rest of their lives, the memories they’ve created and garnered here will be with them the rest of their lives. No one can ever take this away.”

In the bottom of the 10th inning, leadoff hitter Joseph D’Andrea, who had already hit two triples in the game, reached base when a grounder snuck under the glove of Emory third baseman Frank Pfister. On a sacrifice bunt attempt, a throw from relief pitcher Rich Babb sailed into center field, advancing D’Andrea to third. An intentional walk loaded the bases, and after a flyout to short center field, an infield grounder to the shortstop by Perry Schatzow plated D’Andrea with the winning run.

The game marked just the fourth contest in the history of the Division III baseball championships (and the first since 1989) to go to extra innings.

Freshman pitcher Joe Bartlinski got the start for Kean and lasted four-and-a-third innings, allowing five hits and four runs while striking out four. Reliever Andrew Cupido, a junior, went five-and-two-thirds innings to get the win, striking out two while walking four and allowing three hits.

Kean put four players on the All-Tournament Team – D’Andrea, Schatzow, and pitchers Joseph Augustine and Daniel Zeffiro.

The championship game was played before 1,158 spectators, and the 24,872 in attendance throughout the weekend was the second-largest paid attendance in the 32-year history of the championship finals.