Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – Junior Frank Franco (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) capped a 10th-inning comeback when he drove in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded single, allowing William Paterson (8-6-1) to defeat Stevens (5-7), 9-8, on March 27.

With two hits against the Ducks, senior all-American outfielder Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) matched the program's top career mark of 226, established by Paul Bumbaco (1993-96).

Trailing 8-7 entering the bottom of the 10th inning, sophomore Jack Montanile (Weehawken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) drew a leadoff walk and was lifted for pinch runner Joe Fiorino (Glen Cove, N.Y./Glen Cove). Sophomore Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) sacrificed Fiorino to second and senior Miguel Lugo (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's) drove him in with a single up the middle, knotting the score at 8-8. Sophomore Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) dropped a pitch into shallow center field that fell between three Stevens defensive players, allowing Lugo to reach third and Somers to get to second. The Ducks elected to intentionally walk Guadango to load the bases with one out, and Franco stepped to the plate and hit a long fly ball over the drawn-in right fielder's head and on to the warning track, far enough for Lugo to easily trot home and score the deciding run.

Franco finished 3-for-6 with six RBI, including a grand slam, while Dorio was 3-for-3 and Lugo went 2-for-6 while scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs. Guadango was 2-for-3 at the plate with three walks, two of them intentional.

William Paterson pushed across a single run in the bottom of the first inning after a Somers walk, a Guadango base hit through the right side and a Franco sharp liner back up the middle.

The Ducks surged ahead with a three-run third inning, as Mark Rasulo singled in Chris Coutros, Tom Phillips scampered home on a bases-loaded passed ball, and Rasulo touched home plate after a Russ Grimes groundout. Rasulo added another RBI in the fourth when his base hit scored Eddie Daniele from third base.

However, the Pioneers stormed back for five runs in the home half of the fourth. Lugo plated junior Zac Rose (Nutley, N.J./St. Mary Rutherford) with a fielder's choice, and after a Somers walk and a throwing error by the Ducks' catcher gave William Paterson runners at second and third, Guadango was issued an intentional free pass to load the bases. Franco made Stevens pay, hitting a bomb down the left-field line, a grand slam that made it a 6-4 advantage for the Pioneers.

William Paterson tacked on another score in the seventh when Dorio's single to center field was enough to plate Andrue Laguerre (Jersey City, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) and make it a 7-4 contest.

Sophomore T.J. Alcorn tied the game with a three-run homer to left field in the top of the eighth, and Stevens pulled ahead with an unearned run in the top of the 10th, using a two-out single by Acorn and then a Grimes comebacker that reliever Jacob Baron (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) threw past the WP first baseman, allowing Acorn to score from first.

Junior Brett Carroll (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) pitched the first 7.0 innings for the Pioneers, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits, striking out five Ducks and walking five. Baron surrendered four runs, three of them earned, on five hits in 2.2 innings of work, and junior John Slootmaker (Pequannock, N.J./Lakeland Regional) picked up the win (1-0) with 0.1 inning of scoreless relief.

Rasulo was 4-for-6 with a double, two RBI and a pair of runs scored for the Ducks. Alcorn went 3-for-5, including his three-run homer. Junior Kenneth Meerendonk started for Stevens on the mound, giving up seven runs and 14 hits in 6.2 innings. Junior Kyle Hanas allowed one run in 2.1 innings of work, and sophomore Vincent Vinci took the loss (0-1) after surrendering one run and three hits in 0.1 inning.

The Pioneers will host Utica for a single nine-inning game Sunday, March 28, at 3:30 p.m.