Box Score (Game #1)
Box Score (Game #2)

WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (19-16-1, 7-9 NJAC) kept its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament hopes alive with a 4-16, 11-7 split against No. 4 Kean (30-7, 13-4 NJAC) April 30 on Senior Day at Jeff Albies Field.

In order to snare the sixth and final bid to the conference tourney, the Pioneers will need to sweep a doubleheader at Rutgers-Camden in the regular-season finale on Sunday, May 1, at 12:00 p.m., and will also need Montclair State (9-9 NJAC) to lose a pair of games at Richard Stockton tomorrow.

GAME ONE
Senior outfielder Ken Gregory was 4-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored to lead Kean to a 16-4 opening victory.

The Cougars got on the board with three runs in the top of the second inning. Senior Kyle Walker's one-out single sparked the Kean offense. Senior Nick Nolan doubled to right center, plating Walker for the first run of the game. Nolan later scored on a throwing error by the Pioneers. Tyler Smarslok's base hit to center field knocked in Nick Ramagli, who had reached after being hit by a pitch, giving Kean a 3-0 advantage.

Kean struck again in the top of the third with singles by Chris Carrano and Lee Cavico to start the frame. A base hit by Gregory sent Carrano home, and Cavico later scored on a fielding error by the Pioneers. Nolan's single plated Gregory, extending the Cougar lead to 6-0.

The Pioneers chipped away, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) led off the inning with a triple to right center. A throwing error by the Kean shortstop allowed Dorio to cross the plate and put freshman Ken O'Donnell (Teaneck, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) on base. Freshman Scott Ptaszynski's (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) double down the right-field line drove in O'Donnell, and designated hitter Blake Crouch (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) singled to center field, scoring Scott Hansen (Saddle Brook, N.J./Don Bosco Prep), who had previously reached on a single, for a 6-3 score.

The Cougars answered back in the top of the fifth, tacking on another three runs. Walker singled and later scored on a base hit to center by Eddie Jennings. Smarslok laid down a suicide squeeze to score Ramagli, who had reached after singling down the left-field line. Shane Alvarez doubled to center, plating Jennings and extending the Kean lead, 9-3.

Gregory's single in the top of the sixth plated Cavico, who reached base on a walk. With the bases loaded, Smarslok singled through the left side to score two more runs for the Cougars, making it a 12-3 contest.

Nolan doubled to center field, scoring Gregory and Walker and extending the lead to 14-3 in the top of the seventh. The Cougars added two more runs in the top of eighth as Cavico trotted home on a fielder's choice and pinch runner Scott Kinney crossed the plate on another fielder's choice, giving Kean a 16-3 advantage.

The Pioneers pushed a run across in the bottom of the ninth, starting with a Mike Moran (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) triple to right field. Crouch was able to single down the right-field line to score Moran, making the score 16-4.

Junior Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) was 3-for-4 and Crouch was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI for William Paterson.

Junior Chris Mongelli (Riverdale, N.J./Pompton Lakes) allowed six runs (five earned) and seven hits in 2.2 innings of work (3-2). Freshman Eric Villegas (Newark, N.J./Elizabeth) pitched 3.0 innings, surrendering six runs on six hits and striking out three. Junior Dan Alcala (Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) tossed 1.1 innings and allowed four hits and two earned runs in relief. Sophomore Greg Baker (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson Regional) gave up two unearned runs in 2.0 innings of work.

Walker was 3-for-4 and scored four runs, and Nolan went 3-for-5, hit a pair of doubles and drove in four runs for Kean.

Junior Mike Russo tossed 8.0 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits and striking out three to improve to 8-0. Freshman Matt Mantione threw 1.0 inning in relief, allowing one earned run and three hits.

GAME TWO
The Pioneers twice rallied from deficits for an 11-7 closing victory.

William Paterson drew first blood, scoring twice during its first at-bat. Freshman A.J. Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) tripled to right field to start the inning and Hansen singled him in, and two hitters later Dorio's double to center drove in Hansen for an early 2-0 WP advantage.

The Cougars hung five runs on the scoreboard during the top of the third. Walker's leadoff hit by pitch was costly for the Pioneers, as Nolan stepped to the plate and hit a home run, tying the score. Sophomore Stephen Nappe singled, was sacrificed to second by Jennings and scored thanks to a Smarslok base hit through the left side of the infield. Vinny Galya then singled and stole second to give Kean two runners in scoring position, and Carrano plated both with his base hit to center, handing the Cougars a 5-2 edge.

The Pioneers crossed the plate once in the third when Moran walked, moved to second on a groundout and scampered home on a Crouch two-bagger to right-center field.

WP seized a 6-5 fourth-inning lead. Somers led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second before senior Marc Palestina (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) was hit by a pitch. Freshman Rob Pasternak (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) drove in both runners with a double down the left-field line, and two hitters later he crossed the plate himself thanks to a Moran triple to right center.

Kean surged back ahead, this time by a 7-6 count, thanks to a two-run Carrano single during the top of the sixth.

Palestina knotted the contest at 7-7 during the home half of the same inning. He was hit by a pitch before Pasternak squared to bunt, but the sacrifice turned into an error when Kean pitcher Chris Judge threw it past the first baseman and Jennings couldn't hold on to the resulting throw to the plate, allowing Palestina to come all the way around from first and score.

William Paterson seized the lead with a four-run eighth. Once again, Palestina started the rally, this time with a one-out single to right. Pasternak's bunt was mishandled by Judge, an error that put two runners on base for WP. Flores delivered a base hit to center field to plate Palestina and hand the Pioneers an 8-7 lead, and after a strikeout and a pitching change, Hansen doubled to right to score Pasternak and Flores. Crouch followed with a RBI-single back up the middle, making it an 11-7 William Paterson advantage going into the top of the ninth inning.

Hansen was 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Pioneers. Flores went 2-for-5, hit a triple and scored twice, while Crouch finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.

Junior Steve Coral (Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) came out of the bullpen for his first start of the season and allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits. He struck out four and walked one in 7.0 innings. Sophomore James Young (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) picked up the victory (4-2), tossing 2.0 scoreless innings and striking out two while allowing just one hit.

Carrano was 3-for-5 and drove in four runs for the Cougars. Galya went 3-for-5 and scored twice.

Starter Greg Baruka allowed six runs on six hits over 4.1 innings of work. Judge fell to 0-1, giving up four runs (one earned) and two hits in 3.1 innings. Senior Chris Cirlincione surrendered one unearned run and two hits in 0.1 inning.

Prior to the game, William Paterson honored senior manager Rob Schultz, student-athletes Frank Franco (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills), Moran, Palestina, Zak Rose (Nutley, N.J./St. Mary Rutherford) and Kevin Wieme (Bayville, N.J./Paramus), and retiring head athletic trainer Toby Barboza.