Box Score (Game #1)
Box Score (Game #2)
MESA, Ariz. – Two late-game rallies lifted the William Paterson baseball team (4-2) to a seven-inning doubleheader sweep of Western New England (0-2), 2-1 and 9-4, March 15 at the Greater Phoenix Invitational.
Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the sixth of the opener, the Pioneers had four straight hits – singles by
Andrue Laguerre (Jersey City, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) and
Joe Espinoza (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford), a run-scoring single by
Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) and a RBI-double by
Anthony Perrone (Midland Park, N.J./Bergen Catholic) – to take the lead during their final at-bat.
Perrone was 2-for-3 to lead WP. Junior
Dan VandeVrede (Lincoln Park, N.J./Pequannock) threw a complete-game three-hitter, striking out four and walking three (1-0) in the winning effort.
In the nightcap, William Paterson took a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth, thanks to a Perrone RBI-single, two-RBI double by
John Elia (Emerson, N.J./Pascack Valley), and a run-scoring single by
Vince Joyce (Franklin, N.J./Walkill Valley). WNEC scored one run in the fifth and two in the sixth to even the score and force extra innings.
Dan Limone (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) led off the eighth inning by reaching on an error, and moved to second thanks to a Laguerre sacrifice. Espinoza was hit by a pitch, and following a Guadango single up the middle that plated Limone, Perrone drew a walk to load the bases. A balk scored Espinoza, and Elia plated two more runs with another single.
Vin Ganz (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) finished the inning with a sacrifice fly to give WP a 9-4 lead.
Guadango was 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while Perrone was 2-for-3 and Elia was 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Scott Zirul (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) threw the first 5.0 innings for the Pioneers, allowing seven hits and two runs (one earned). Senior
Steve VandeVrede (Lincoln Park, N.J./Pequannock) picked up the victory (1-0), giving up two hits and a pair of unearned runs in 3.0 innings of relief.
William Paterson will face No. 2 SUNY Cortland Sunday, March 16, at 12:00 p.m. MT.
