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WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (20-7, 8-2 NJAC) finished off a regular-season sweep of The College of New Jersey (13-14, 5-5 NJAC) with a 5-2 home victory April 15.  The Pioneers, who earned a 4-2 win at TCNJ April 11, were led at the plate by junior outfielder AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange), who was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI.

Sophomore designated hitter Mike Arnold (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) got things started for WP in the bottom of the third inning with a single to right field.  After freshman outfielder Tyler Garguilo (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Arnold to second, Flores knocked him in with a double to give William Paterson a 1-0 lead.  Following a flyout and a hit batter, senior catcher Vin Fondacaro (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) plated Flores with a single through the left side, making it a 2-0 edge.

William Paterson tacked on three more runs to its lead during the home half of the sixth.  Junior first baseman Trevor Haughney (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) hit a leadoff single but was out at second on a Ryan Gibbons (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) fielder's choice.  A pickoff attempt got past the first baseman, allowing Gibbons to advance to second, and he ran to third when junior shortstop Rob Pasternak (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) dropped a base hit into shallow right field.  Arnold hit a grounder back to pitcher Robert Graber, who elected to try to get the out at second base, but his throw was wide.  Gibbons easily scored, and the play left WP with runners on first and second and one out.  Garguilo's second sac bunt of the game moved the two runners up 90 feet, and a Flores grounder up the middle plated both and made it a 5-0 score.

Those were important insurance runs, as the Lions got on the scoreboard during the top of the seventh inning.  Sophomore third baseman Jake DeWitt singled and freshman designated hitter Pat Roberts tripled him in with one out.  Freshman outfielder Mark Mari immediately followed with a RBI-double to left-center field.  Freshman Frankie Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) entered and his wild pitch allowed Mari to get to third base, but TCNJ senior second baseman Scott Kelly hit a ball out to right field that was caught by Flores, and his throw home was in time for Fondacaro to tag Mari out for an inning-ending double play. 

TCNJ threatened again in the ninth when two errors and a walk loaded the bases with one out.  Colasante induced a flyout and a fielder's choice ground ball to finish the contest.

Arnold was 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in a run, while Pasternak finished 2-for-4 and crossed the plate once.

Freshman Adam Miller (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) tossed the first 4.0 innings, scattering two hits, walking two and striking out one Lion (2-1).  Senior James Young (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) allowed two runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings, and Colasante picked up his fourth save of the year, throwing 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.

DeWitt was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and senior outfielder Michael Murphy and sophomore first baseman Josh Limon both finished 2-for-4 for the Lions.

Graber pitched the complete game for TCNJ, giving up 11 hits and five runs (two earned) while registering three strikeouts.

William Paterson will visit Drew Wednesday, April 17, at 4:00 p.m.

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