Box Score (Rockford)
Box Score (Western New England)

PHOENIX, ARIZ. – Junior Bryce Warden (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) tossed a complete game as the William Paterson baseball team (1-4-1) defeated Rockford (3-4), 5-3, at the Greater Phoenix Invitational March 14. The Pioneers finished the day with an 11-10 loss to Western New England (3-3).

GAME ONE
Warden (1-0) allowed three runs on nine hits, striking out four and walking two as the Pioneers rallied for a 5-3 victory against Rockford (Ill.).

Rockford took an early 3-0 lead after a solo home run during the top of the first, and a two-run fielder's choice in the third. The Pioneers cut that margin to one in the bottom of the third as junior Adam Derner (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) doubled in classmate Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst), and then scored himself thanks to a Ken O'Donnell (Teaneck, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) two-bagger.

The Pioneers took the lead with a three-run seventh. Dorio led off with a double, and later advanced to third on an error by the pitcher. Derner's base hit scored Dorio to even the score, and after Scott Hansen (Saddle Brook, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) was hit by a pitch, O'Connell sacrificed the two runners to second and third. Freshman A.J. Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) then cleared the bases with a single up the middle for a 5-3 WP lead.

Derner was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Junior Rob Doughty (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) was 3-for-4, and junior Jack Montanile (Weehawken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) went 2-for-4 with a double.

GAME TWO
A single run in the bottom of the ninth gave Western New England an 11-10 victory against the Pioneers.

A single, error and groundout gave WNEC an early 2-0 lead, but William Paterson crossed the plate three times in the top of the third, two on a Dorio double. A Flores double scored Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional), and senior Mike Moran's (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) single plated Flores for a 5-2 Pioneer lead by the middle of the third inning.

Western New England cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning, but William Paterson stretched it to 8-4 with three runs in the fifth. Derner started the frame with a bunt single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored via Flores' base hit up the middle. Moran's single drove in Flores, and after he stole second, Moran trotted home on a Scott Ptaszynski (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) base hit.

A three-run WNEC triple once again made it a one-run game, 8-7 after six, before WP tacked on two runs during the top of the eighth thanks to back-to-back RBI-doubles from Somers and Derner.

Western New England tied things up with three runs during the bottom of the eighth, and the Golden Bears earned the win in the ninth after using singles to put runners on the corners with one out, and then delivering a base hit to left-center field.

Dorio was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Derner went 3-for-5 and contributed a double, run and RBI. Flores and Moran each had a pair of hits.

Senior Kevin Wieme (Bayville, N.J./Paramus) started and allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits in 6.1 innings. Freshman Pete Savastano (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) gave up three runs and two hits in 1.0 inning, junior Dan Alcala (Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) surrendered one run and three hits in 1.0 inning (0-2), and freshman Eric Villegas (Newark, N.J./Elizabeth) pitched to the final batter.

William Paterson will play Concordia (Wisc.) Tuesday, March 15, at 3:00 p.m. at the Greater Phoenix Invitational.