Box Score

WAYNE, N.J. – Head coach Jeff Albies earned his 850 th career victory as the William Paterson baseball team (7-3-1) defeated No. 23 Rensselaer (8-1) 10-9 in the Pioneers' home opener March 24.

Albies' record improved to 850-389-14 in his 33rd season at William Paterson. He began the 2007 season fourth among active coaches, and eighth all time, in Division III in victories.

The Pioneers got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the second. Senior Jon Marzella (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) led off the inning with a single to right, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) single just inside the third-base bag.

The Red Hawks answered with four runs in the next half inning. Eric Redding's two-run single to right center, followed by a two-out, two-run error gave RPI a 4-1 edge.

William Paterson answered right back, plating two runs in the bottom of the third. Junior Don Hays (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) began with a walk and advanced to second thanks to a Dan Limone (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) sacrifice. Senior Rick Pignatello (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) also drew a free pass, and after a long fly ball that moved Hays to third, he scored and Pignatello went to second on a wild pitch. Senior Don Reinertsen (Swartzwood, N.J./Kittatinny) drove Pignatello home with a single up the middle, making the score 4-3.

The Pioneers later exploded for four runs in the fourth to retake the lead. Limone's RBI-single to right-center, as well as a two-run single by Pignatello and a run-scoring fielder's choice off of senior Wayne Poppe's (Sloatsburg, N.J./Suffern) bat, gave William Paterson a 7-4 advantage.

WPU tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth for a 9-4 lead, but three Pioneer errors in the top of the seventh helped Rensselaer score five runs to tie the score at 9-9.

The Pioneers fought back to plate the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth. Pignatello beat out a soft roller to the third baseman to start the inning. Poppe walked, and both runners advanced thanks to a perfect sacrifice bunt by Reinertsen. Marzella was intentionally walked to load the bases, and the strategy worked, as senior Ted King (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor South) grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing RPI to make a play at the plate for the second out of the inning. The inning looked like it would end during the next at-bat when Guadango hit a bouncing ball to RPI shortstop Matt Muscatiello, but he could not handle it for the easy flip to second, and Poppe scampered home for the winning run.

Senior Mike Irwin (North Haledon, N.J./Manchester Regional) started on the mound for the Pioneers, allowing eight hits and four runs, two of which were earned, while striking out three and walking one in 5.0 innings. Classmate Mike Santana (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) scattered four hits over 2.0 innings, surrendering five runs (one earned) while striking out four. Junior Steve VandeVrede (Lincoln Park, N.J./Pequannock) earned his first victory as a Pioneer, throwing two innings of scoreless relief with one hit and one strikeout.

Marzella was 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the William Paterson offense. Pignatello, Guadango, Hays and Limone each had a pair of hits.

William Paterson will host SUNY Cortland Sunday, March 25, at 2:00 p.m.