DAVENPORT, FLA. – The William Paterson baseball team's (10-6) stay at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational ended with a 15-3 loss March 19 to Benedictine (2-3). The game was ended after seven innings due to the 10-run lead rule.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Senior second baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) started the bottom of the first with a single to center field, and after a groundout, senior catcher Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) tripled him in for a 1-0 WP edge.
• The Eagles used three singles, two errors and a pair of hit by pitches to push across four third-inning runs.
• The Pioneers got two of those runs back during their next at-bat. Graduate student first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) was hit by a two-out pitch and advanced to second via a wild pitch, followed by an RBI-double by senior designated hitter Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and a run-scoring single by senior right fielder Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J./Bergen Catholic).
• Five runs during the top of the fourth frame pushed Benedictine's lead to 9-3, and the Eagles added three more in both the fifth and seventh innings.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Lombardo finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, and junior left fielder Elliott Hayward (Marlton, N.J./Old Bridge) went 2-for-3 with a double. Yelin, Carter and Martin each had an RBI.
• Senior Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) suffered the loss (2-1), surrendering 12 runs (five earned) on 10 hits and two walks, striking out five over his 4.2 innings.
• Carter logged the final 2.1 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) and one hit, walking one.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson goes to Manhattanville Tuesday, March 22, at 3:30 p.m.

 
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS:

• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia