BOX SCORE

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. – Two runs in the top of the eighth inning allowed William Paterson (7-2) to get past Clarkson (3-5), 3-2, in baseball action March 19.

The Pioneers took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a sacrifice and three singles in the third, the last a Scott Ptaszynski (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) base hit through the left side that plated junior catcher Trevor Haughney (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge).

The Golden Knights took a 2-1 sixth-inning lead, leading off with a double, then adding a two-out single, a wild pitch and another base hit.

WP responded in the eighth.  Freshman designated hitter Jimmy Kenny (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) started the frame by being hit by a pitch, and was replaced by pinch runner Jared Guglielmino (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield).  Junior third baseman Rich Guillod (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley-Demarest) hit an infield single, and a Rob Pasternak (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) sacrifice gave the Pioneers runners at second and third with one out.  Following an intentional base on balls issued to Haughney, pinch hitter Vin Fondacaro (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) plated Gugliemino with a sac fly, tying the score.  Junior outfielder AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) then drove in Guillod for the go-ahead run with a RBI-single through the left side.

Kenny and Guillod were both 2-for-3, Ptaszynski was 2-for-4 and Flores finished 2-for-5 at the plate.

Sophomore starter Ryan Monaghan (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) pitched the first 6.0 innings, striking out four while allowing two runs on six hits.  Junior Anthony DeEsposito (Ridgefield, N.J./Ridgefield Memorial) picked up the win in relief (1-0), striking out one hitter in 1.0 inning, and freshman Adam Miller (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) recorded a two-inning save (one), allowing one hit while recording a strikeout.

Connor Martin was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Clarkson.  Reliever Jarrod Mattingly suffered the loss, giving up two runs on four hits in 4.0 innings of work.

William Paterson will play Babson Wednesday, March 20, at 10:00 a.m.

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