Box Score

NEWARK, N.J. – Despite owning a 9-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, the William Paterson baseball team (21-10, 9-3 NJAC) was unable to hold on, falling at Rutgers-Newark (16-14-1, 6-6 NJAC), 13-12, April 17. Even after the loss, the Pioneers remain in a tie for first place in the NJAC standings with No. 7 The College of New Jersey (23-5, 9-3 NJAC), after the Lions dropped a 9-5, 10-inning decision against Rowan. 

Junior center fielder Brian Gill beat out an infield chopper to third base with two out in the bottom of the ninth to bring home the winning run. The Scarlet Raiders scored five runs in the seventh and four in the eighth to knot the score going into the ninth against the Pioneers. 

Junior catcher Matt Halligan walked to lead off the ninth and was replaced by pinch runner Matt Citro. Freshman shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer bunted Citro over to second before second baseman Matt Connors hit a slow grounder to the right side which put Citro on third. Citro was gone on the crack of the bat on Gill's grounder, which took a big hop that virtually eliminated any chance for a play at first base.
A grand slam by junior left fielder Doug Ford awoke the Raiders in the seventh, cutting a 9-3 deficit entering the inning to 9-8. 

The Pioneers bounced back on a Raider throwing error, a RBI-double by sophomore rightfielder Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) and a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Vince Joyce (Franklin, N.J./Wallkill Valley) to move to what seemed to be a comfortable 12-8 lead in the top of the eighth. 

Sophomore right fielder Anthony Yeswita turned in the defensive play of the day to kill the Pioneer rally in the eighth. With no one out and the bases loaded, he threw home to prevent a fourth run in the inning after making a routine catch. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Rutgers-Newark batted around, posting four runs on four hits. Gill delivered a two-run single ahead of a sacrifice fly by Yeswita to bring the Raiders to within one before fate stepped in. 

A passed ball third strike against sophomore third baseman Joe Furnaguera got away from the Pioneer catcher with two away, loading the bases for Halligan. The tri-captain stroked a single to right field, bringing Gill home with the tying run. Senior first baseman Dan Zika was pegged at the plate to prevent the go-ahead run. 

Sophomore reliever Michael Hansen got the win by pitching the final two innings. He inherited the bases-loaded jam in the eighth, giving up a single which tied the game, and allowed a one-out single in the ninth. 

Zika went 4-for-5 and scored twice for the Raiders, while Gill finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored. 

Guadango went 4-for-5 with three RBI to pace WP, which also got three hits – including two doubles – from junior centerf ielder John Elia (Emerson, N.J./Pascack Valley). Joyce, sophomore left fielder Andrue Laguerre (Jersey City, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) and sophomore second baseman Vincent Ganz (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) had two hits each in the 17-hit Pioneer attack. 

William Paterson will return to action Friday, April 18, at Montclair State at 3:30 p.m.