Video Highlights
WAYNE, N.J. – Looking to strengthen its postseason positioning, the William Paterson baseball team (22-13, 7-8 NJAC) secured a 9-2 Senior Day victory against Montclair State (11-23, 2-13 NJAC) April 25.
With three regular-season games remaining, the Pioneers are sixth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) standings. The top six teams will qualify for the double-elimination NJAC Tournament that begins Tuesday, April 30.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- WP got off to a fast start, crossing home plate five times during its first at-bat. Sophomore center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) opened with a triple to left and junior second baseman Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) followed with a double to left center before a groundout, Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) single and fielder's choice left runners on first and second with two outs. Senior designated hitter Shane Adams (Cape May, N.J./Cape May Tech) drilled a two-run double to right center for a 3-0 edge, and junior third baseman Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) added a two-run homer to left, making it a 5-0 margin.
- Base hits by sophomore first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) and Yelin, as well as a Danny Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) hit by pitch, loaded the bases for Adams during the home half of the second, and his base hit to center field added two more runs to the Pioneers' lead.
- Carter's solo shot made it an 8-0 game in the fourth, and sophomore left fielder Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) singled in sophomore shortstop Greg Cuevas (West New York, N.J./St. Mary (Rutherford)) for a 9-0 advantage in the fifth.
- Two walks and a double allowed the Red Hawks to get on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth inning.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Adams finished 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and four RBI. Cuevas went 3-for-3 while adding a double and run scored, and Yelin was 3-for-4 and touched home twice.
- Senior Corey Martinez (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) pitched 6.0 scoreless innings of five-hit ball, striking out three and walking four (6-0). Classmate Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) had two strikeouts and a base on balls during his 1.0 inning of relief, and junior Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) struck out one of the three batters he faced during a perfect eighth. Senior Ryan Tomao (Trenton, N.J./Robbinsville) was charged with two runs, a hit and a pair of bases on balls during the ninth inning.
- Prior to the game, WP honored its seven seniors – Adams, Babb, Jeff Lombardi Jr. (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick), Martinez, Doug Olcese (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central), Eric Rosenberg (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) and Tomao.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson plays a single game at Montclair State Friday, April 26, at 3:30 p.m.
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