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UNION, N.J. – Second-seeded William Paterson (27-13) was eliminated from the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament with a 6-2 loss to fifth-seeded and 26th-ranked Ramapo (27-13-1) May 4 at Kean University. 

The Pioneers struck first when junior outfielder AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) beat out a chopper for an infield single to lead off the bottom of the first inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when junior shortstop Rich Guillod (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley-Demarest) drilled a base hit to center field.

The Roadrunners answered with a three-run second.  A walk and single were followed by a sacrifice attempt that was thrown away, plating the two runners, and shortstop Joe Venturino's later RBI-single made it a 3-1 score.

An error with the bases loaded and two outs allowed Ramapo to extend its lead to 4-1 in the fourth.  William Paterson got that run back during the bottom of the seventh inning.  Base hits by junior first baseman Trevor Haughney (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) and junior third baseman Rob Pasternak (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) put runners on the corners for sophomore designated hitter Mike Arnold (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), who lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

A bases-loaded walk and sac fly handed the Roadrunners two more runs in the eighth, and WP still trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth.  With two outs, Haughney, Pasternak and Arnold all delivered singles to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate, but a fly ball ended the Pioneers' comeback hopes.

Pasternak finished 3-for-3, and Haughney was 2-for-4 and scored a run. 

Junior Josh Jensen (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) took the loss (4-3), allowing four runs (two earned) and four hits in 3.0 innings.  Freshman Frankie Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) gave up two runs on two hits and five walks in 4.0 innings, and senior Tim O'Shea (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) tossed 2.0 hitless innings.

Venturino and second baseman Anthony Vinci each had two hits for the Roadrunners.  Travis Zilg (5-3) pitched the complete game, allowing eight hits and striking out five while walking two.

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