Box Score

WAYNE, N.J. – Sophomore Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) hit a pair of home runs, and senior Steve Schlitzer (West New York, N.J./Memorial) threw 2.2 innings of inspired relief, giving William Paterson (15-8, 5-2 NJAC) a 6-4 come-from-behind victory against visiting Rutgers-Newark (11-12, 4-4 NJAC) April 7.

The Scarlet Raiders came out of the dugout swinging the bat, scoring a total of four runs during the first three innings. Matt Connors led off the first by reaching base on an error, followed by a Brian Gill RBI-triple and a Dan Zika run-scoring single up the middle, giving Rutgers-Newark the early 2-0 edge.

Guadango answered during the home-half of the first, blasting his fifth home run of the year off the scoreboard beyond the fence in left-center, cutting the Raiders' lead in half. However, Rutgers-Newark got the run back in the second when Gill delivered a single to right field, scoring Patrick Reitemeyer from third, and took a 4-1 lead in the third after a bases-loaded fielder's choice off the bat of Reitemeyer with no outs, plating Zika.

William Paterson fought back, scoring a pair of runs in the fourth. Senior Anthony Perrone (Midland Park, N.J./Bergen Catholic) led off with an infield base hit, and following a strikeout, sophomore Andrue Laguerre (Jersey City, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) singled to center field. A fly-out and a Vin Ganz (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) walk loaded the bases for senior Dan Limone (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck), who promptly laced a pitch into right-center field to score Perrone and Laguerre. Guadango then tied the game during the bottom of the fifth, hitting his second home run of the day, this one a solo shot to left, for a 4-4 score.

Sophomore starter Scott Zirul (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) settled in, retiring the Scarlet Raiders in order during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Neither team threatened again until the top of the seventh, when Gill and Anthony Yeswita singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Zirul was lifted for Schlitzer, who walked the first batter he faced, but was able to induce a popup to the shortstop and a fly-out to left field, getting out of the bases-loaded jam unscathed.

William Paterson rewarded Schlitzer's effort with the go-ahead run during its next at-bat. After Perrone reached first on a fielder's choice, he stole second and advanced to third when the catcher's throw to second was wide. Junior John Elia (Emerson, N.J./Pascack Valley) allowed Perrone to trot home with a single to center field, giving WP its first lead of the game at 5-4, and the Pioneers tacked on an insurance run with a Vince Joyce (Franklin, N.J./Wallkill Valley) RBI-single in the eighth.

Guadango finished the day 3-for-4 with the two solo home runs to lead the William Paterson offense, while Laguerre was 3-for-4 and Ganz was 2-for-3. Perrone scored a pair of runs, and kept the tying run 90 feet from home plate with two outs in the top of the eighth when he made a diving play at the bag at third, recording the third out with a quick throw to first.

Gill was 3-for-5 with two RBI and a triple to pace Rutgers-Newark. Zika added a 2-for-4 effort.

Schlitzer improved to 2-2 after 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, including a 1-2-3 effort in the ninth. He allowed one hit and a walk with two strikeouts. Zirul threw the first 6.1 innings for the Pioneers, giving up seven hits and four runs (two earned) with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. Billy Ceruti started for the Scarlet Raiders and lasted 6.0 innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs with four strikeouts and four walks. Ryan Williams suffered the loss (0-1) with two hits and one run in 0.2 inning, and John Kuder threw the final 1.1 innings (three hits, one earned run).

The Pioneers will play at FDU-Florham Tuesday, April 8, at 3:30 p.m.