Box Score
WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (0-1-1) and Division II Pace (4-2-1) played to a 4-4 tie in the Pioneers' baseball home opener March 9 at Jeff Albies Field. The game was halted after seven innings due to darkness.
Singles by junior
Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional), freshman
A.J. Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange), and junior
Adam Derner (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) sparked a three-run second inning for the Pioneers.
William Paterson made it a 4-0 score in the bottom of the fourth after junior
Jack Montanile (Weehawken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) doubled to lead off the inning, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a wild pitch.
The Setters got two runs back in the top of the fifth. Laurence Flammia singled to center with one out, and after Brandon Martineson reached on an error, the two runners moved up on a Kenny Wright groundout to first base. Flammia scored after a Pioneer error, and James Pjura singled in Martineson, a pair of unearned scores to make it a 4-2 contest.
Pace evened things up with a pair of scores during the top of the sixth inning. An error and a sacrifice put Kyle Turnier on second, and a Flammia walk and Martineson base hit loaded the bases. Wright then reached on an error, allowing both Turnier and Flammia to cross the plate with two outs.
Somers and Derner were 2-for-3, while Montanile went 2-for-4 with a RBI. Junior
Bryce Warden (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) started on the mound for the Pioneers, allowing two unearned runs on five hits in 4.2 innings. Senior
Kevin Wieme (Bayville, N.J./Paramus) tossed 1.1 innings, surrendering two unearned runs and one hit. Sophomores
James Young (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) and
J.J. Moran (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley) combined for 1.0 inning of scoreless relief.
Seven different Setters accounted for Pace's seven hits. Mackenzie King gave up four runs and eight hits in 3.1 innings as the starter. Richard Sullivan scattered two hits over 2.1 innings, and Neil Pezzullo allowed one hit in 1.1 innings.
William Paterson will start play at the Greater Phoenix (Ariz.) Invitational Saturday, March 12, against Macalester at 3:00 p.m. MT.
