Box Score

WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (10-6, 1-0 NJAC) defeated New Jersey City (7-12, 0-2 NJAC), 11-4, in the Pioneers' New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) season opener March 28 at Pioneer Baseball Park.   

The Gothic Knights opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Mark Hoyer doubled down the right field line, then advanced to third on a sacrifice by Tom Burke.  Hoyer scored on a throwing error by the Pioneers' catcher, giving New Jersey City a 1-0 edge.

The Pioneers retaliated in the bottom of the first when senior Anthony Perrone (Midland Park, N.J./Bergen Catholic) singled and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Dan Limone (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) and Will Courter (Roseland, N.J./West Essex).  Senior Vince Joyce (Franklin, N.J./Wallkill Valley) later doubled to left center to score two more runs, and push the Pioneers ahead, 4-1.  Freshman Scott Fischer (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Pascack Hills) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth to give the Pioneers a 5-1 lead over the Gothic Knights.

New Jersey City posted two runs in the sixth inning thanks to an Andrew Decibus single to center field that scored Jose Fulgencio, and a Leomar Paulino ground out that scored Leonardo Acosta.

The seventh inning saw one more Gothic Knight run when Hoyer plated Anthony Mackow with a sacrifice fly, pulling NJCU within one run at 5-4.  The Pioneers answered back in the bottom of the inning when Perrone's sacrifice resulted in an error, scoring Courter, and sophomore Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) and Perrone later trotted home due to an error by the pitcher, making it an 8-4 game.

The eighth inning saw more offensive action from the Pioneers, starting with a two-run double by Guadango and a run-scoring error off the bat of Perrone, capping the scoring at 11-4.

The conference match-up saw five errors from the Gothic Knights and two from the Pioneers. New Jersey City's Decibus was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Hoyer went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.  William Paterson's Guadango was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three runs and two RBI, while Perrone went 1-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.

Senior right-hander Jose Sotomayer threw 6.0 innings for the Gothic Knights (1-2), allowing seven hits and six runs (four earned).  Senior Baldwin Vargas and junior Steve Hallam each saw time on the mound in relief.

Junior Dan VandeVrede (Lincoln Park, N.J./Pequannock) pitched 7.0 innings for the Pioneers, taking the win and improving his record to 2-1 while giving up six hits, four earned runs and three walks, striking out four.  Senior Steve Schlitzer (West New York, N.J./Memorial) pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Pioneers, allowing just one hit.
   
William Paterson will play a NJAC doubleheader at Ramapo Saturday, March 29.  First pitch will be at 12:00 p.m.  New Jersey City will play a twin bill at Richard Stockton March 29, starting at 12:00 p.m.