BOX SCORE (Game #1)
BOX SCORE (Game #2)

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team ran its season-opening win streak to four games with a seven-inning doubleheader sweep of visiting Utica (0-2) March 10 at Jeff Albies Field.  The Pioneers fought back from a 6-1 deficit for a 10-9 opening victory, and finished off the day with a 5-2 win.

GAME ONE
Three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning allowed WP to rally for a 10-9 victory during the opening contest of the twin bill.

Trailing 9-7 heading into their second-to-last at-bat, the Pioneers got a leadoff single from senior shortstop Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst), followed by a pinch-hit walk by junior Scott Hansen (Saddle Brook, N.J./Don Bosco Prep). A bunt by junior Ryan Gibbons (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) rolled between the Utica pitcher and first baseman, a sacrifice attempt that resulted in an infield single and loaded the bases.  Sophomore A.J. Flores' (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) grounder to second was the first out of the inning but was enough to plate Dorio.  Flores later stole second, and moved up to third on senior Jack Montanile's (Weehawken, N.J./Hudson Catholic) sacrifice fly that scored Hansen and knotted the score at 9-9.  Utica elected to intentionally walk senior Adam Derner (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) to give WP runners at the corners with two outs, but freshman Mike Arnold (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) came through with a RBI-single through the left side, pushing across Flores with the go-ahead run.

Junior J.J. Moran (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley), who entered the game with two outs in the top of the sixth, struck out the side in the top of the seventh to preserve the one-run victory.

Three errors allowed Utica to score a pair of runs in the top of the second, but William Paterson got one of those runs back during the home half of the frame thanks to a Scott Ptaszynski (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) triple and a James Lauer (Hamilton, N.J./Pennington Prep) sac fly.

Nick Dunbar tripled in two runners and crossed the plate himself on an Alec Choleva sacrifice fly, handing Utica a 5-1 advantage in the middle of the third, and a double steal made it 6-1 in the fourth.

WP fought back for three fourth-inning runs.  Montanile singled, and Derner's single to third was thrown away, allowing Montanile to score and sending Derner to second base.  After Derner was out on a fielder's choice at third, Ptaszynski's single and advance on the throw to third handed the Pioneers two runners in scoring position with one out.  Lauer's sacrifice fly plated Arnold, and Dorio's RBI-double drove in pinch runner Rob Pasternak (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield).

Choleva doubled in Dunbar, who was hit by a pitch, for a 7-4 Utica advantage during the top of the fifth.  The Pioneers answered with three more runs in the bottom of the inning.  Flores and Gibbons drew back-to-back one-out walks, Montanile singled in one run and Derner cleared the bases with a double down the right-field line, tying the score at 7-7.

Utica seized the lead with a two-run, bases-loaded single in the top of the sixth before WP crossed the plate three times for the third straight inning.

Gibbons finished 3-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base.  Montanile was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.  Derner was 2-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs, Ptaszynski and Dorio each contributed a pair of hits and Lauer produced two sac flies.

Junior James Young (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) started on the mound and allowed six runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings.  Freshman Tom Gaccione (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) gave up three runs on three hits in 2.1 innings, and Moran (1-0) struck out three and walked two in 1.1 innings.

Dunbar led Utica at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a triple, four RBI and two runs scored.  Vincent Burillo took the loss in relief (0-1), surrendering three runs and three hits in 1.2 innings.

GAME TWO
William Paterson scored a total of four runs during its final three at-bats for a 5-2 victory.

Each team struck for a single run during the first inning.  A one-out error, single and wild pitch gave Utica runners on second and third, and a groundout to second put the first run of the game on the scoreboard.  William Paterson used an error, a Montanile single and a Derner RBI-double to even the score.

Utica received an unearned run during the top of the fourth, stringing together a single, walk, fielder's choice and an error.  But, WP once again tied it up thanks to an Arnold leadoff walk and a Dorio double to left.

William Paterson took its first lead during the home half of the fifth.  Flores lined a one-out double down the line in right, and after a flyout, Derner was intentionally walked.  Arnold ripped a ground ball through the right side of the infield, scoring Flores for a 3-2 lead.

The Pioneers tacked on two insurance runs during the bottom of the sixth.  Leadoff hitter Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) got aboard thanks to an error, Gibbons walked with one out, and a Flores fielder's choice coupled with a throwing error were enough to plate Somers.  Montanile then singled in Flores, who had previously stolen second base.

Montanile finished the day going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Arnold went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a RBI.

Freshman Ryan Monaghan (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) allowed two unearned runs on two hits in his first college action, tossing the first 4.0 innings.  Classmate Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) pitched 1.0 scoreless inning of relief for the victory (1-0), followed by senior Dan Alcala (Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional), who struck out one of the three batters he faced.  Junior Matt Goitz (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) retired Utica in order in the seventh inning for his first save.

Dunbar was 2-for-3, and catcher Thomas Dinnen finished 1-for-2 with a run scored.  Chris Jeffers suffered the loss (0-1), allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 4.2 innings.  Stephen Szatko tossed 1.1 innings, surrendering two earned runs on one hit, striking out two.

William Paterson will host U.S. Merchant Marine Wednesday, March 14, at 3:45 p.m.