Video Highlights

WAYNE, N.J. – Three Pioneers had multi-hit efforts, while senior southpaw Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) provided 5.0 innings of one-run ball, as the William Paterson baseball team (1-0) rolled to a 10-3 season-opening home victory against Stevens (1-3) Feb. 23 at Jeff Albies Field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• WP opened up a 2-0 advantage during its first at-bat when sophomore right fielder Danny Carter's (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) bases-loaded grounder wasn't thrown home in time, and sophomore first baseman Carson Weis' (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) ground ball to first plated junior catcher Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional).
• The Pioneers doubled their lead with a two-run third, thanks to a Carter RBI-single up the middle and a Weis sacrifice fly to right.
• After the Ducks strung together two walks and a pair of hits to manufacture one run in the top of the fifth, William Paterson took control with four scores during the home half of the same frame. Junior shortstop Dan Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and junior third baseman Greg Cuevas (West New York, N.J./St. Mary (Rutherford)) did the damage when they laced back-to-back two-run base hits to right-center field.
• Junior designated hitter Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) plated sophomore center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) with a ground ball, and Weis later drove in Yelin when he dropped a base hit into center field, making it a 10-1 lead after six innings.
• Two hits, a pair of walks and a sac fly allowed Stevens to tack on a pair of eighth-inning runs.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• DiGirolamo, Cuevas and junior second baseman Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) each produced a pair of hits.
• Weis drove in three runners, while Abate, Cuevas and Carter each had two RBI.
• Babb surrendered one run on four hits and four walks, striking out seven during his 5.0 innings of work (1-0).
• Senior Doug Olcese (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) tossed 2.0 shutout innings of relief, striking out two of the seven batters he faced.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will host Widener Sunday, Feb. 24, at 2:30 p.m.

 
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