LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The No. 24 William Paterson (20-5, 11-3 NJAC) secured two wins by a total of three runs, 6-4 and 11-10 in 11 innings, against The College of New Jersey (5-14, 4-10 NJAC) April 24. The Lions were the home team for the games played at Rider University.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Two walks, a stolen base and an error allowed TCNJ to take a 1-0 first-inning lead.
- Junior third baseman Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) opened the top of the second frame with a base hit through the left side, senior left fielder Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) added a two-out single to right and junior right fielder Adrian Alarcon (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) plated both runners with a double to left, pushing WP ahead by a 2-1 count.
- The Pioneers added two more runs in the fourth with a Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) walk, Deane base hit and Alarcon two-RBI double to left-center field.
- The Lions took advantage of a base on balls, wild pitch, groundout and single for one score during the home half of the fourth.
- William Paterson tacked two more on to its lead in the top of the ninth inning. Senior catcher Dylan Habeeb (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) reached via a fielder's choice, Yelin singled and Weis walked, loading the bases. Junior designated hitter Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and Deane each drew walks, forcing across two runs for a 6-2 edge.
- Those runs ended up being important, as TCNJ crossed the plate twice during its last bat with an error, triple and single, but two strikeouts ended the threat and the game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Both of Alarcon's hits were doubles, driving in four runs. Yelin went 3-for-5 while scoring twice, and Deane was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
- Sophomore Darmany Rivas (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) improved to 5-0 with 5.1 innings of two-hit, two-run (one earned) ball. He struck out five and walked seven.
- Junior Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) tossed 3.1 innings and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk, posting five strikeouts, and classmate Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) earned his first career save by striking out the one batter he faced.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- An RBI-triple and two-run homer allowed the Lions to build a 3-0 first-inning advantage, then added three more in the third with a triple, double and home run.
- William Paterson got four of those runs back in the top of the fifth. Junior second baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) opened the frame with a triple to right center, senior shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) was issued a one-out walk and Habeeb doubled them both in. Yelin's base on balls and a wild pitch set up an Alarcon sac fly and a Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) RBI-single to center, making it a 6-4 game.
- The Pioneers jumped ahead, 8-6, after a four-run sixth thanks to an Armando Ovalles (Union City, N.J./Union City) base hit, Lombardo walk, DiGirolamo RBI-double, two run-scoring errors and a passed ball.
- A bases-loaded wild pitch and a later error pushed across two Lion runs, knotting the score at 8-8 after six frames.
- TCNJ then took advantage of a base hit, walk, two-out RBI-single and a wild pitch to seize a 10-8 lead during the home half of the eighth.
- A two-out error put Lombardo on base during the top of the ninth inning, followed by a DiGirolamo single to right center. DiGirolamo stole second to get into scoring position, and an error was enough to allow both runners to race home and tie the game at 10-10.
- With the bases loaded and one out in the home half of the ninth, Weis registered two strikeouts to keep it a 10-10 game.
- The Pioneers went down in order in the top of the 10th. The Lions started the bottom of the inning with two strikeouts, then two walks before a final punchout.
- Junior third baseman Chris Liriano (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the 11th, and was sacrificed to second by Weis. Lombardo's base hit into right field broke the deadlock, making it an 11-10 WP lead.
- A flyout and two strikeouts during the bottom half of the 11th inning secured the win for William Paterson.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Habeeb was 2-for-6 with a double, three RBI and a run scored, and Lombardo finished 2-for-5 while adding a triple, three runs scored and the game-winning RBI.
- Senior Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) pitched the first 4.0 innings and was charged with six runs, eight hits, one walk and five strikeouts.
- Senior Zac Polzer (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) had one strikeout while allowing two runs (one earned) and one hit in 1.0 inning of action. Carter spun 2.1 innings of two-hit, two-run ball, striking out two and walking three.
- Freshman Pat Warburton (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) issued one walk while recording one out, and Weis earned the win (1-0) with 3.0 innings of shutout work, scattering one hit and four walks while striking out seven.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson goes to Montclair State Thursday, April 29, for a single game at 3:30 p.m.
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