Video Highlights
WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (18-10, 5-5 NJAC) was just six defensive outs away from sweeping No. 5/8 Rowan (21-6, 8-2 NJAC), instead settling for an 8-10 and 11-6 split April 13.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game One
- The Profs used five hits to produce two runs during the top of the first inning, but WP responded with a Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) double, Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) single, two walks and an error to tie the game at 2-2 during its first at-bat.
- Rowan added two more in the second before Weis singled in sophomore center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) for a 4-3 margin after two innings.
- After the Profs tacked on a single score during the top half of the third frame, junior third baseman Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) launched a solo homer to left and sophomore left fielder Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) doubled down the right-field line, was sacrificed to third and scored on a wild pitch, knotting the score at 5-5 after three.
- WP seized a 6-5 fifth-inning lead when Deane singled through the right side and sophomore shortstop Greg Cuevas (West New York, N.J./St. Mary (Rutherford)) tripled off the right-field wall.
- Rowan tied the game with a home run to lead off the top of the sixth before the Pioneers put together singles by DiGirolamo and Weis, and an RBI-double to left by sophomore catcher Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional), for a 7-6 edge during the home half of the same frame.
- Deane opened the bottom of the seventh with a triple down the left-field line and promptly touched home after a wild pitch, tacking one run on to the lead, 8-6.
- The Profs knotted the score at 8-8 with a two-run homer in the eighth, then hit another two-run home run during the top of the ninth inning for a 10-8 advantage.
Game Two
- Rowan used a three-run homer to strike during its first at-bat, but WP got one run back in the home half of the first with a Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) RBI-single to left.
- The Profs stretched their advantage to 6-1 in the second before the Pioneers crossed the plate three times in the fourth with a Deane double, Perez run-scoring single, Cuevas RBI-groundout and error.
- William Paterson took a 9-6 lead with a five-run fifth. A Deane infield single, Perez walk and Cuevas hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out, and a Danny Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) base on balls and wild pitch tied the game at 6-6. After DiGirolamo was hit by a pitch, Ferrara lifted a sac fly to left, Weis singled in Carter and Dorio drew a bases-loaded walk.
- A Perez walk and back-to-back doubles off the bats of DiGirolamo and Ferrara pushed the Pioneer advantage to 11-6 after six innings.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Game One
- Weis finished 4-for-5, driving in a run and scoring once. Deane went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and three runs scored.
- Senior Doug Olcese (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) suffered the loss in relief, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over the final 1.1 innings (1-1).
Game Two
- DiGirolamo and Deane both were 3-for-5 while scoring twice. Ferrara drove in three baserunners and Perez touched home three times.
- Sophomore Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) (3-1) struck out two and walked three over his 5.1 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits. Freshman Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) spun 3.2 scoreless innings of relief for his second save, scattering two hits while punching out three.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson goes to Scranton Tuesday, April 16, at 5:00 p.m.
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