Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (19-16, 7-8 NJAC) handed nationally ranked Kean University (31-6, 14-1 NJAC) their first conference loss of the year, with a 12-8 victory on Thursday afternoon. Senior Rob Jeans (Toms River North) pitched his second career complete game for his third win of the season. The Cougars are ranked #6 by D3baseball.com/NCBWA.

The first inning was an early slugfest with Kean scoring three times and Stockton answering with four markers. RBI by Joe Gmitter (Hamilton/Steinert), Cooper Fiore (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) and Robbie Ford (Green Twp./Newton), plus a balk, gave the home team the early 4-3 lead after one inning.

The Osprey offense did not stop there with six runs over the next three frames for a 10-5 advantage. Three unearned runs in the third inning, plus single markers in the second, fourth and fifth stanzas, pushed the Ospreys to the five-run margin.

Stockton added on with a pair of tallies in the seventh inning on RBI by Gmitter and Nick Avagnano (Paramus/Paramus) to make it 12-5. The Cougars were able to plate three runs in the final two frames, by Jeans was able to limit the momentum and Stockton came away with the 12-8 win.

Gmitter led the 16 hit attack with four hits and three RBI, with Avagnano rapping three hits and driving in two runs. Michael Antonucci (Manasquan/Manasquan), Tucker Elder (Ewing/Ewing) and Jordan Nitti (Hamilton/Steinert) all had two hits each with Nitti scoring three runs in the game.

Jeans fanned three Cougars in the final regular season outing of his career.

For Kean, Kyle Adorno and Brett Hilsheimer had three hits and two RBI each to lead the Cougars.

The two teams will finish their home-and-home series tomorrow, when the Ospreys will travel to Union, NJ. The game is scheduled for 3:30 pm.