Box Score 

NEWARK, N.J. – William Paterson's (12-11, 4-3 NJAC) late-inning rally fell short as the Pioneers dropped a 14-10 decision at Rutgers-Newark (14-8, 4-3 NJAC) April 5.

The Pioneers owned an early 4-0 lead after scoring twice during both the first and second innings. Senior John Elia (Emerson, N.J./Pascack Valley) delivered two runs with a two-out single up the middle, and junior Miguel Lugo (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's) drove in a pair of scores with a base hit to left-center field.

The Scarlet Raiders crossed the plate twice during the second inning and took a 6-4 lead with four runs during the third. After senior Don Hays (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) hit a home run down the left-field line to start the fourth inning and cut the margin to 6-5, Rutgers-Newark responded with a pair of sacrifice flies during the home half of the inning, pulling ahead by an 8-5 count.

Junior Marc Palestina (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) plated Mike Moran (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) with a fifth-inning sac fly, but the Raiders posted six runs in the bottom of the inning, including a Matt Lingo grand slam, for a commanding 14-6 lead.

William Paterson continued to battle, as senior Will Courter (Roseland, N.J./West Essex) doubled in two runs during the eighth inning, and WP added two more scores during the ninth thanks to a Palestina RBI-double and an Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) run-scoring single.

Lugo was 4-for-6 for the Pioneers, driving in two runs and scoring twice himself. Dorio went 3-for-4, and Courter was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI.

Freshman Rob Doughty (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) fell to 1-2, allowing five runs on five hits in 2.0 innings as the Pioneers' starter.

William Paterson will play at Keystone Tuesday, April 7, at 3:45 p.m.