Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – A ninth-inning Senior Day rally fell short for William Paterson (16-18-1, 6-9 NJAC) in an 8-5 loss to Rutgers-Newark (20-17, 9-6 NJAC) April 29 at the Pioneer Baseball Park. The Pioneers crossed the plate four times during their last at-bat, but a double play and a final popup allowed the Scarlet Raiders to walk away with the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victory. Prior to the contest, WP honored seniors James Gregory (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey), Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands), Andrue Laguerre (Jersey City, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) and Miguel Lugo (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's).

Junior Matt Connors started the contest with a wind-aided triple to center field, and classmate Michael DiCenso immediately followed with a base hit to right, pushing across Connors for the first run of the day.

Rutgers-Newark made it 2-0 after a leadoff hit by pitch for Connors, and a groundout to the pitcher that moved Connors to second. Junior Patrick Reitemeyer reached on an error by the Pioneer shortstop, giving the Scarlet Raiders runners on the corners with one out, followed by Anthony Yeswita hitting a sharp grounder to first base. William Paterson threw down to second base in an effort to get an inning-ending double play, but the throw back to first was not in time, allowing Connors to score from third.

Yeswita doubled in Reitemeyer and Chris Ballester for a 4-0 Rutgers-Newark advantage in the fifth. The Scarlet Raiders then opened it up with a four-run eighth inning, including two via an Anthony Palladino single to center field, for an 8-0 edge.

William Paterson got on the board during the home half of the eighth. Junior Frank Franco (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) struck out swinging, but hustled down to first on the passed ball, giving the Pioneers a one-out runner. Junior Zac Rose (Nutley, N.J./St. Mary Rutherford) was hit by a pitch, followed by a Laguerre single down the left-field line, making it an 8-1 score.

Sophomore Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) started the bottom of the ninth with a drive that the right fielder appeared to lose in the sun, a triple that set the stage for a Lugo RBI-single to left. Sophomore Jack Montanile (Weehawken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) hit a grounder to the hole on the left side, an infield single that the third baseman knocked down, and Guadango hit a ball just in front of the plate that was enough to allow him to reach first safely and load the bases. Franco then drilled a ball through the right side of the infield, scoring Lugo and Montanile, for an 8-4 margin. However, Rose followed by hitting into a double play, the first two outs of the inning. Guadango trotted home on the grounder to make it a three-run game, followed by back-to-back walks issued to Laguerre and sophomore Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional). Gregory came to the plate representing the tying run, but his popup was the third and final out of the contest.

Yeswita was 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI, while Connors went 1-for-3 and scored twice. Junior Billy Cerruti improved to 4-4, pitching 7.0 scoreless innings and scattering six hits. Freshman Matt Larangera allowed one unearned run in 1.0 inning of work, and senior Michael Hansen gave up four runs on five hits in the ninth inning.

Lugo finished 3-for-5, Laguerre was 2-for-4 and Guadango went 2-for-5 for the Pioneers. Junior Brett Carroll (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) fell to 4-3, giving up eight runs (five earned) in 7.0 innings. John Slootmaker (Pequannock, N.J./Lakeland Regional) and Rob Doughty (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) combined to toss 2.0 innings of scoreless relief.

William Paterson will visit Montclair State Friday, April 30, at 3:30 p.m.