Montclair, NJ – Third baseman Mike Perone went 4-for-4, scored three times and had five RBI as Kean University scored early and cruised to a 23-8 victory over Montclair State at Yogi Berra Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Derek Walker and Zach Joe each had four hits and two RBI for the Cougars (22-11, 8-3 NJAC), who took the first game of the home-and-home series. The two teams will meet again on Thursday, April 18 at Jim Hynes Stadium in Union, NJ with first pitch set for 3:30 pm.

DONALD GONNELLI had three hits and an RBI for the Red Hawks, who continued their slide. MSU fell to 10-20 overall, 1-10 in conference play as it dropped its 12^th straight contest.

The Cougars jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Nick Polizzano singled home the first two runs and Walker followed with a two-run hit back through the middle. Perone added two more in the second with a single to left and an RBI single by Frank LoGiudice put Kean in front 7-0.

Montclair State got a run back in the second as DOMINICK LEUIZZI collected a base hit to score JUSTIN BATES. Gonnelli cut the deficit to 7-2 in the third with a run-scoring single however the Cougars tallied the next three runs to build a 9-2 advantage.

The teams traded runs in the fifth with Kean tacking on 13 runs over the next three innings. MSU plated five runs in the eighth inning. KYLE FORCINI had a two-run double and an ANTHONY GUARINO single up the middle brought home two more.

Lefthander Daniel Chiusano (3-1) got the victory as he went the first six innings allowing three runs (two earned) and nine hits with one strikeout and three walks. Freshman lefthander JONATHAN ANDERSON (2-4) took the loss for Montclair.

Bates and JOE NORTON had two hits each for the Red Hawks.