UNION, N.J. (3/30/07) - Freshman Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) led all players with four RBI and his fifth homerun of the season as the Kean University baseball team, currently ranked #7 in the latest ABCA/Collegiate Baseball poll, defeated visiting Mercy College, 15-3, Friday afternoon in the home opener for Kean.Jonathan Cohen (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.) had three hits for the Flyers who fall to 1-15 overall. Kean, who collected 13 hits in the win, improves to 9-3.

The Cougars recorded runs in all but two innings. They got on the board in the bottom of the second as Nolan doubled into the left-centerfield gap scoring junior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) and senior Perry Schatzow (Ocean Twp., N.J.).

Kean never trailed and led 11-0 before the Flyers crossed the plate in the top of the sixth inning on a wild pitch. Freshman Vincent Tesoriero (Glen Head, N.Y.) recorded the first run after reaching on a single.

Joe Rizzo (Staten Island, N.Y.) picked up his first win of the season after allowing just one earned run in six innings of work. Rizzo also fanned four and walked no one. Kyle Murphy (East Hanover, N.J.), Matt Merrigan (East Brunswick, N.J.) and Matt Grinkevich (Allentown, N.J.) combined for three innings of relief allowing just one run and one hit.

Offensively Gianakas finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Senior Aaron Richard (Plainfield, N.J.) was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI while freshman Chris Carrano (Lincoln Park, N.J.) was 1-for-4 with an RBI double.