AUBURNDALE, FLA. – The William Paterson baseball team (8-3) started play at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational March 13, dropping a seven-inning doubleheader to Spalding (7-5), 6-3 and 15-5.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Eagles took a 1-0 first-inning lead.
• A Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) single, Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) walk and Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J./Bergen Catholic) hit by pitch loaded the bases during the home half of the first, and senior designated hitter Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) lifted a sac fly to center to tie the game at 1-1.
• Spalding used a base hit, two walks and a fielder's choice for a 2-1 third-inning advantage.
• Senior center fielder Justin Grippo (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) doubled in junior left fielder Elliott Hayward (Marlton, N.J./Old Bridge) and Weis singled in Grippo, handing WP a 3-2 edge after four frames.
• The Eagles crossed the plate once in the fifth with a double, error and RBI-single, then added a two-run triple for a 5-3 score during the top of the sixth inning.
• The Eagles pushed across one run during the seventh after a hit by pitch, groundout and base hit.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Weis finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
• Senior Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) allowed three runs (two earned), six hits and four walks, striking out five over 5.0 innings.
• Junior Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) suffered the loss in relief (1-1), giving up a hit, two runs and a walk with two punchouts during 1.0 inning of action. Senior Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) pitched the final 1.0 inning and surrendered two hits and one run while tallying one strikeout.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Weis sent a pitch over the right-field fence for a 1-0 score during the top half of the first inning.
• Two base hits, a walk and a wild pitch made it a 1-1 game after two innings.
• A Weis single and Yelin double pushed WP ahead by a 2-1 count in the third, but the Eagles tied the score during their next at-bat with a walk and double.
• Spalding took control of the game with an 11-run home half of the fourth inning, then tacked on a two-run homer for a 15-2 lead in the fifth.
• Weis tripled in freshman shortstop Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J./Verona) and sophomore center fielder Brett Coyle (Sparta, N.J./Sparta), then scampered home on a wild pitch, to finish the scoring during the top of the seventh.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Weis went 3-for-4 with a triple, homer, three RBI and three runs scored.
• Junior Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona) gave up six runs on six hits and two walks, posting one strikeout (3-1).
• Freshman Neel Telidevara (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick) gave up one hit, three runs and two walks in 0.1 inning, and senior Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) was charged with one hit, three runs and two walks with one strikeout during 0.1 inning.
• Freshman Nick Durso (Morris Plains, N.J./Parsippany Hills) pitched 0.1 inning and gave up a run and a hit, striking out one and walking two. Graduate student Jason Rivera (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) was charged with three hits, two runs and a walk over 1.0 inning of action, and freshman Pat Pantoliano (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) struck out two of the three batters he faced.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will face Roger Williams Tuesday, March 15, at 6:00 p.m. at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

 
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