WAYNE, N.J. – After spotting Staten Island (5-9) its first lead of the game, the William Paterson baseball team (12-4) crossed the plate six times in the sixth inning and five more times in the seventh, pulling away for a 15-7 victory March 26.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Five bases on balls netted the Pioneers a pair of first-inning runs and a 2-0 lead.
• The Dolphins halved the advantage during the top of the second after three singles and a fielder's choice.
• WP tacked on two more in the second, using a base hit to center field from sophomore left fielder Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne), a walk by sophomore center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), an RBI-single to center from junior second baseman Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus), and a sacrifice fly to left by junior first baseman Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst).
• Four base hits and two Pioneer errors allowed Staten Island to take its first lead of the day at 6-4 in the top of the sixth inning.
• William Paterson answered immediately, touching home six times during the home half of the sixth for a 10-6 edge. A wild pitch, Ferrara sac fly, error and RBI-singles by sophomore right fielder Danny Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), junior third baseman Dan Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and junior catcher Mike Grasso (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) drove in the runs for the Pioneers.
• WP blew the game open with a five-run seventh thanks to a Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) leadoff double, run-scoring DiGirolamo base hit, Ferrara walk, Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) RBI-double, Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) run-scoring single and Grasso RBI-single.
• Two hits, a walk and balk plated the final CSI run during the top of the ninth inning.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Grasso finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, and DiGirolamo went 2-for-4 while tallying a double, RBI and four runs scored.
• Carter and Ferrara each contributed a pair of RBI.
• Sophomore starter Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) tossed 3.0 innings on a limited pitch count, giving up one run on four hits and a walk.
• Junior Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) picked up the win in relief (1-1) with 2.0 scoreless innings of work.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson visits St. Joseph-Long Island Wednesday, March 27, for a 4:00 p.m. contest.

 
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• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia