Video Highlights

WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (4-1) used two stellar starting pitching efforts and a combined 32 hits to secure an 18-1, 8-1 baseball sweep of New Jersey City (2-5) March 20 at Jeff Albies Field.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers crossed the plate during each of their first seven at-bats. Senior shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) singled to right center and stole second before junior designated hitter Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) was issued a walk. Senior catcher Dylan Habeeb (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) then drilled the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence, handing WP a 3-0 first-inning edge.
• William Paterson added a run during the bottom of the second. Junior second baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) grounded a ball up the middle off the diving fielder's glove, running hard the whole way to turn it into a double. Senior center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) drew a base on balls, followed by an infield popup that wasn't caught, plating Lombardo for a 4-0 edge.
• The Pioneers pushed their advantage to 7-0 in the third. Habeeb opened the frame with a single through the left side, and an error and groundout left runners on second and third. A swinging strikeout wasn't caught by the catcher, and when he threw to first Habeeb scampered home for the inning's first run. WP followed with an RBI-triple to right center by senior left fielder Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) and a run-scoring base hit through the left side by Lombardo.
• Habeeb launched a one-out pitch to right center, his second home run of the day to extend the lead to 8-0 during the home half of the fourth.
• Two more runners touched home in the fifth after four consecutive base hits by Lombardo, DiGirolamo, Ferrara and Yelin, as well as a bases-loaded walk by Habeeb.
• WP added six more in the sixth. Freshman right fielder Brett Coyle (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) opened the frame with a single to left and sophomore third baseman David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) was hit by a pitch, setting up a two-run Deane triple to right-center field. DiGirolamo walked and Ferrara plated Deane with a double down the left-field line, followed by Yelin's three-run homer to left center.
• The Pioneers made it an 18-0 score during the home half of the seventh with a Deane base hit, a Vinny Torrisi (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) single up the middle, a wild pitch, a DiGirolamo RBI-groundout and a Ferrara run-scoring triple.
• Senior Jason Palmeri (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, when the leadoff batter sent a fly ball to the warning track that was lost in the sun, resulting in a double. The Gothic Knights took advantage of a later error and single to score their lone run of the game.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Palmeri's (2-0) final line was one hit and one unearned run allowed during 7.0 official innings of work, posting seven strikeouts and one walk.
• Habeeb finished 4-for-5 with two homers, a triple, five RBI and three runs scored. Deane was 3-for-5 while adding a pair of triples, three RBI and three runs scored.
• Ferrara was 4-for-6 with a double, triple, three RBI and two runs, and Lombardo finished 3-for-3 while contributing a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
• Junior Adrian Alarcon (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) made his mound debut with 1.0 inning of relief, striking out two of the five batters he faced while giving up a hit. Freshman Pat Warburton (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) also saw his first action on the hill, surrendering one hit in the ninth.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• William Paterson opened the scoring during the home half of the second with an Alarcon two-out triple past the diving right fielder, and a Lombardo RBI-single to center field.
• The Pioneers added two more in the fifth. Backo led off with a double to left center and advanced to third on a DiGirolamo groundout before trotting home when Ferrara tripled to straightaway center. Yelin immediately followed with a run-scoring double into left field, making it a 3-0 advantage.
• WP broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning. Alarcon tucked a triple inside the right-field line, Lombardo walked and Backo was hit by a pitch to load the bases for DiGirolamo. His ground ball was tossed wide of second base as Alarcon scored, then Ferrara singled in Lombardo and a later wild pitch plated Backo. Habeeb made it a 7-0 margin with a line-drive sacrifice fly to right, and Deane drove in the final run of the frame with a base hit to center field.
• A walk, wild pitch and single allowed NJCU to plate one run during its final at-bat.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Ferrara tallied three hits, including a triple, two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Lombardo was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, and Alarcon finished 2-for-4 while delivering a triple and two runs.
• Sophomore Darmany Rivas (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) (1-0) faced just two batters more than the minimum, finishing with a line of 8.0 shutout innings pitched and two hits allowed, fanning 10 batters without issuing a walk.
• Senior Armando Ovalles (Union City, N.J./Union City) pitched the ninth inning, giving up one run, a walk and a hit while tallying one strikeout.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson hosts Rutgers-Camden for a twin bill Sunday, March 21, at 12:00 p.m.

 
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