The Kean University baseball team opened defense of its NCAA Division III National Championship with an 8-6 victory over Gwynedd-Mercy College on the opening day of the Mid-Atlantic Regional on Wednesday afternoon.

The top-seeded Cougars (36-9) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to erase a one-run deficit to eighth-seeded Gwynedd-Mercy (21-19). The Cougars face fifth-seeded Messiah College on Thursday, May 15, at 4:30 p.m., while the Griffins battle Penn State Behrend at 10:00 a.m.

Junior Brandon Aich (Sayreville, N.J.) picked up the victory in relief, allowing just one hit and no runs in improving to 7-1 this season. Sophomore Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) (pictured right) drove in a team-high two runs, while sophomore Chris Carrano (Lincoln Park, N.J.) had three hits, two runs scored and one RBI in the victory.

For the Griffins, senior Mark Mattes (Doylestown, N.J.) was 2-of-5 with two runs scored, while shortstop Scott Carroll (Churchville, Pa.) drove in two runs.

After Kean led through the first six innings, the Griffins took a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning, scoring three runs on one hit and two errors and took the brief lead on a RBI groundout by Carroll.

Kean answered in the bottom half of the inning, regaining the lead for good when Nolan doubled to left field to drive in senior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) and scored one batter later on a pinch-hit RBI single by senior Dan Mattonelli (Hamilton, N.J.) for the 7-6 lead.

The Cougars tacked on the insurance run the following inning on a RBI single by Carrano for the two-run cushion.

Kean wasted little time getting on the board, opening the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by senior Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) and a RBI double by Gianakas (pictured left).

The Griffins cut the deficit in half in the top of the third inning when freshman Colin Tosti (Langhorne, Pa.) scored on a RBI groundout by Carroll after leading the inning off with a walk.

After the Cougars scored two runs on one hit and two errors in the bottom of the fifth inning, Gwynedd-Mercy again cut the deficit to one, answering with two runs in the top of the sixth inning.

The Griffins opened the inning with three straight hits, including a RBI single by junior Tim McMenamin (Maple Shade, N.J.), and Carroll would later score on a RBI fielder's choice after reaching on an infield single earlier in the inning.

Kean extended the lead back to two runs at 5-3 in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI single by senior Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.), before the Griffins score three in the seventh inning.

On the mound, Kean junior Colin Feneis (Spotswood, N.J.) scattered seven hits and allowed just two earned run in six innings of work.

Gianakas finished 2-of-5 with two runs scored and on RBI, while senior Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) added two hits in the victory.

For Gwynedd Mercy, McMenamin was 2-of-4, while Tosti was 1-of-3 with two runs scored.