HOBOKEN, N.J. (February 17, 2017)  – Senior Michael Mule' reached base five times and freshman Patrick Rood homered in his first collegiate at-bat, but the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team left 14 men on base, including six over the final three innings, and fell to No. 15/No. 19 Kean University, 5-3, in the 2017 season opener at Dobbelaar Baseball Field Friday. 

Sophomore Danny Poidomani (0-1) pitched six solid innings in his first collegiate start, allowing a pair of runs on six hits, but Stevens committed three errors on the afternoon, leading to three unearned runs for the left-hander.

Frank Urso went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and Steve Santigate drove in two runs without a hit for the Cougars, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

Tyler Hopman (1-0) kept the Stevens bats in check over the first five innings before tiring in the sixth. Mule' led off the frame with a solo blast to center field. After sophomore P.J. Wiegartner grounded to second, sophomore Matthew Pasko singled to left, bringing up Rood and the freshman delivered in a big way, connecting for a mammoth home run into the visiting dugout to pull the Ducks within a run. Rood entered the game as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning.

Stevens placed multiple runners in scoring position in each of the final three innings, but Kean's Kyle Gaeb pitched his way out of trouble in each inning to pick up his first save.

Kean added an insurance run in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk by Matt Krupa.

Up Next: The Ducks welcome Old Westbury to Hoboken for a non-conference matchup Sunday.

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