Video Highlights

WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (6-1) ran its win streak to five games with an 11-3, 7-5 baseball sweep of Rutgers-Camden (0-3) March 21 at Jeff Albies Field.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Scarlet Raptors took advantage of a leadoff walk, groundout and single to manufacture one run during the top of the first inning.
• The Pioneers answered immediately with a pair of runs during their first at-bat. Senior center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) led off with a base hit to left and senior shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) followed with a single through the right side. After a strikeout and groundout, senior first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) plated both runners with a double into center field.
• WP tacked on two more in the second. Junior second baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) reached on a leadoff error and stole second, senior right fielder Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) drew a base on balls, and junior third baseman Chris Liriano (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) hit an RBI-single through the left side. After a groundout and Ferrara infield single loaded the bases, junior designated hitter Steve Yelin's (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) fielder's choice plated Carter for a 4-1 advantage.
• Rutgers-Camden used a solo homer, two walks, a bunt single and a sac fly to cut the lead to 4-3 during the top of the fourth inning.
• A DiGirolamo base hit and two hit by pitches loaded the bases with zero outs in the home half of the fourth. Senior catcher Dylan Habeeb (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) delivered one run with a fielder's choice, and Weis drove home another with a sac fly to left, making it a 6-3 game.
• A four-run fifth gave WP control of the game, 10-3. Carter hit a one-out single to center and Liriano and DiGirolamo drew walks, leading to a bases-loaded RBI-single for Ferrara. A wild pitch plated Liriano, and Yelin's ground-rule double scored two more for the Pioneers.
• William Paterson finished the scoring in the eighth with a Habeeb double and Lombardo triple.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Ferrara was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Weis finished 2-for-4 while contributing a double and three RBI. DiGirolamo added two hits and three runs scored.
• Junior Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) tossed the first 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks. Classmate Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) (1-0) pitched the final 5.2 innings, scattering two hits and one walk while striking out six.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers scored the game's first run thanks to a Lombardo leadoff base on balls, a failed pickoff attempt and an Adrian Alarcon (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) RBI-groundout during the home half of the second inning.
• A base hit, error, wild pitch and two-run single gave the Scarlet Raptors a 2-1 edge in the top of the third.
• WP leveled the score during its next at-bat thanks to three walks and a wild pitch.
• Rutgers-Camden surged ahead with a two-run fourth, taking advantage of three base hits, a groundout and an error.
• The lead changed again during the home half of the fourth, thanks to three Pioneer scores. Sophomore third baseman David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) opened the frame with an infield base hit, DiGirolamo walked, and Ferrara flied out to leave runners on the corners. A failed pickoff attempt at first base allowed Backo to touch home, Yelin singled and Habeeb was issued a base on balls, loading the bags for Weis. His base hit up the middle drove in the tying and go-ahead runs, making it a 5-4 game.
• WP doubled its lead in the fifth. Senior left fielder Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) led off with a single up the middle, followed by a Backo walk and fielder's choice for runners on the corners with one out. The pitcher wasn't able to cleanly field Ferrara's bunt, a squeeze play that resulted in a run and a base hit.
• A Habeeb double down the left-field line and an Alarcon RBI-single up the middle pushed the Pioneers' lead to 7-4 after six innings.
• Rutgers-Camden used a triple and base hit to get one run back during the top half of the seventh.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Alarcon was 2-for-4 with two RBI, Yelin went 2-for-5 while scoring a run, and Ferrara finished 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI.
• Senior starter Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) (2-0) went 5.2 innings, giving up four runs (one earned), seven hits and two walks while striking out four. Senior Zac Polzer (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) provided 2.1 innings of one-run middle relief, scattering three hits and registering two strikeouts. Carter struck out one of the three batters he faced during a perfect ninth inning for his first save.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson hosts No. 14 Kean Thursday, March 25, at 3:30 p.m.

 
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