JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Solid pitching and timely hitting allowed the William Paterson baseball team (14-8, 3-3 NJAC) to sweep host New Jersey City (12-7, 3-3 NJAC), 10-1 and 4-3, April 7.
 
Game One
Junior starter Corey Martinez (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) allowed just one run over 7.0 innings and five Pioneers compiled multi-hit efforts during an opening 10-1 victory.
 
WP struck three times in the top of the fifth inning. A two-out double by freshman right fielder Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and an error allowed freshman center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) to score from first, freshman third baseman Christopher Liriano (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) doubled in Carter and sophomore second baseman Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) sent an RBI-single to right center.
 
Senior catcher Jorge Solodkin (Short Hills, N.J./Millburn) sacrificed freshman first baseman Carson Weis (Rivervale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) to second, and after an intentional walk issued to DiGirolamo, freshman left fielder Francis Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) plated Weis with a base hit to right-center field, making it a 4-0 score in the sixth.
 
A hit by pitch, double and sacrifice fly got the Gothic Knights on the scoreboard during the home half of the sixth.
 
William Paterson blew the game open with five eighth-inning runs. Junior designated hitter Shane Adams (Cape May, N.J./Cape May Tech) sent a one-out double to left and was lifted for freshman pinch runner Evan Smith (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford). A Weis double down the left-field line plated Smith, and Solodkin followed with an RBI-single to right center. DiGirolamo's base hit up the middle led to a Deane run-scoring double into left, Carter's walk loaded the bases, and Liriano sent two runners home with a single to left field.
 
Freshman shortstop Greg Cuevas (West New York, N.J./St. Mary (Rutherford)) opened the ninth with a walk and stole second, and two batters later he touched home when Weis singled through the left side.
 
Liriano finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, a double and run scored, while Deane went 3-for-5 while notching a double, two RBI and a run. Adams belted a pair of doubles, Solodkin was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, and Weis finished 2-for-5 while collecting a double, two RBI and a pair of runs.
 
Martinez (4-2) scattered six hits and one run over 7.0 innings, striking out five and walking one. Junior Jack Benson (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) had three walks and a punchout in 1.0 scoreless inning of action, and junior Jeff Lombardi, Jr. struck out one of the three batters he faced in the ninth.
 
Senior first baseman Dan Berardi went 2-for-3 for NJCU. Senior reliever Dan Foley took the loss with four runs allowed in 4.1 innings of work, giving up six hits and two walks while posting a pair of strikeouts (1-1).
 
Game Two
Junior Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) struck out a career-best 11 as WP finished the day with a 4-3 win.
 
The Pioneers struck first when Carter hit a two-out single up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on an error, and scored when Liriano had an infield base hit in the top of the first.
 
WP added one more in the second, using a Cuevas fielder's choice and stolen base, a Weis groundout and a Solodkin single to center field.
 
New Jersey City leveled the score during the bottom of the second inning, taking advantage of three singles, a stolen base and a walk.
 
The Pioneers pushed back ahead in the third when Carter doubled to lead off, advanced to third on a Liriano groundout and scored on a Ferrara base hit up the middle.
 
William Paterson made it a 4-2 margin during the top of the fifth inning. Carter and Liriano were issued one-out bases on balls and Ferrara delivered an RBI-single to right-center field.
 
The Gothic Knights finished the scoring in the eighth with a double and run-scoring single.
 
Ferrara led WP at the plate, going 2-for-3 while driving in two runs. Carter was 2-for-4, hit a double and scored three times, while Solodkin went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Babb (2-3) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while punching out 11 during 7.0 innings on the mound. Junior Doug Olcese (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) had one strikeout while giving up two hits in 1.0 inning of scoreless relief, and classmate Eric Rosenberg (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) picked up his fourth save with 1.0 inning of one-hit, shutout work.
 
Sophomore right fielder Juan Pena went 3-for-4 with a double and run scored for NJCU. Senior starter Kyle Kafer (2-2) surrendered four runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks over 4.1 innings.
 
William Paterson will host U.S. Merchant Marine Tuesday, April 10, at 3:45 p.m.
 
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