Box Score (Game #1) 
Box Score (Game #2) 

EWING, N.J. – William Paterson (18-14, 10-5 NJAC) saw its six-game win streak snapped with a pair of losses at The College of New Jersey (18-12-1, 10-3 NJAC) in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) baseball action April 18. The Pioneers rallied in each game to tie the score at 5-5, but WP could not break through for a win as they lost both games of the doubleheader by 11-5 and 13-5 scores.

The Pioneers, TCNJ and No. 12 Kean (10-3) now all have 10 conference victories to tie for the top spot in the league standings with a week remaining in the regular season. The top six teams will qualify for the NJAC Tournament that begins with games at campus sites on April 28.

GAME ONE
Two of the top NJAC teams traded punches throughout the opening contest, but TCNJ kept the offensive pressure on to pull away from the Pioneers late in the game.

William Paterson took an early 1-0 lead in the first after Miguel Lugo (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's) led off the game with a walk and eventually scored on a groundout, but TCNJ responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. James Ruzich singled to left before Jeff Toth ripped a hanging breaking ball to left-center for a double. Ruzich scored all the way from first when the Pioneers' center fielder struggled to come up with the ball cleanly. Toth scored on an RBI-ground ball from Vince Mazzacarro to give TCNJ an early 2-1 advantage.

TCNJ pushed the lead to 3-1 in bottom of the fifth. Ruzich laced a double off the left-center field wall to lead off the bottom of the fifth and advanced to third on Mazzacarro's base hit to left. An infield single by Chris Esperon brought Ruzich home as the Lions gave starting pitcher Dan Ramos-Dominko a two-run cushion.

Senior Adam Tussey, who has been playing exceptional defense at second base, put his stamp on the offensive side in the sixth inning. After Anthony Palmiotto singled to center with one out, Tussey belted a run-scoring double to left-center field scoring Palmiotto from first. Tussey moved up to third on a ball in the dirt and scored on Ruzich's third hit of the day.

The WP bats came to life in the seventh, scoring four runs on five hits to knot the score at 5-5. Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) doubled and Don Hays (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) and Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) followed with singles to cut the TCNJ lead to 5-2. Will Courter (Roseland, N.J./West Essex) lined a clutch, two-run single to center field and one out later, scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.

TCNJ answered back with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Anzelone led off with a walk and Jared Tramutola laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Anzelone to second. Chris James came in to pinch-run and scored on Palmiottos's line-drive base hit to right field to re-take the lead, 6-5. After Tussey grounded to second to move the runners up to second and third, a Pioneer balk made it 7-5. Ruzich then launched a two-run homer to left-center field to make it 9-5. Ruzich had a huge game at the plate, racking up four hits, three RBIs and three runs scored.

The Lions tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Galeotafiore doubled in Esperon and later scored on a wild pitch.

Senior Joe Marchitelli earned the mound decision, giving up just one run in 1.2 innings of relief. Ramos-Dominko threw 6.0 strong innings surrendering four runs, walking one and striking out three. Senior Eric Gerte came in relief of Marchitelli (3-0) to record the final four outs of the game. Galeotafiore, Tussey and Palmiotto each had two hits for the Lions.

Sophomore Mike Moran (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) had a four-hit day for the Pioneers. Hays collected three hits, while Dorio and Courter chipped in with two hits apiece.

GAME TWO
The Lions opened the game with a growl and closed it with a roar as they scored five runs in the first and eight in the eighth to seal their second win of the day. Adam Tussey's first career home run highlighted the eight-run outburst after William Paterson fought its way back to tie the game in the seventh inning.

Chris Esperon blasted a first-inning grand slam to ignite the TCNJ offense. Tussey, Ruzich and Toth all walked before Mazzacarro ripped a RBI-single. Esperon cleared the bases with one swing, and five batters into game two, the Lions owned a 5-0 lead.

TCNJ starting pitcher Sean Stewart cruised through the first five innings, yielding a single run in the fourth inning. William Paterson, however, stormed back with three runs in the sixth inning. Palestina and Somers singled to lead off the inning, Dorio followed with a RBI-single to center field and Courter knocked in two with his second hit of the game.

Pioneer pitcher J.J. Moran (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley) did a tremendous job coming in relief of starter Ryan Steidl (Randolph, N.J./Morris Knolls). He held the Lions scoreless after their five-run outburst, enabling the Pioneers to claw their back to tie the game 5-5 on a RBI-double by Somers in the seventh.

The Lions' offense came to life in the eighth. Andrew Priece led off with a single to left and advanced all the way to third when Moran threw away Galetafiore's sacrifice bunt. Palmiotto tripled to right-center to put TCNJ back on top 7-5. Tussey then lined a shot to left-center that cleared the 360-foot sign for a two-run home run. Priece roped his third hit of the game to drive in two and Galetafiore added another run-scoring single to put the game out of reach.

Pat Johnson pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the victory. Johnson (2-0) retired all six batters he faced, striking out two. Moran (1-2) was the tough-luck loser for William Paterson, throwing 7.0 strong innings of relief and allowing three earned runs on eight hits.

Somers had three hits for the Pioneers while Courter and Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) collected two hits each.

William Paterson will play at Staten Island Monday, April 20, at 3:30 p.m.