WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (7-1) took two from visiting No. 20 St. John Fisher (1-2) March 5, winning 5-1 in nine innings and 8-5 in seven innings.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers pushed across a single run during their first at-bat after base hits by senior catcher Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) and senior designated hitter Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), followed by an RBI-single through the right side from senior right fielder Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J./Bergen Catholic).
• WP made it a 3-0 game in the second. Senior third baseman Chris Liriano (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) singled off the leaping shortstop's glove, he scored when senior second baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) tripled off the left-field fence, and Lombardo scampered home after a wild pitch.
• Carter reached via a one-out error during the bottom of the fifth inning, and after a Martin groundout, Carter touched home when sophomore shortstop Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) doubled to right center, pushing William Paterson's advantage to 4-0.
• Fisher broke up the shutout with a two-out walk and a pair of singles in the top of the seventh, making it a 4-1 game.
• Junior left fielder Elliott Hayward (Marlton, N.J./Old Bridge) opened the home half of the eighth with a hit by pitch, freshman Ruven Pino (Fairview, N.J./Bergen Catholic) delivered a pinch-hit infield single and Lombardo was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for graduate student first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), who drilled a ground ball up the middle to push the lead to 5-1.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Lombardo was 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI and run scored. Liriano finished 2-for-3 and touched home once.
• Senior starter Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) went 6.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, collecting four strikeouts (2-0).
• Junior Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) tossed 1.1 innings of one-hit relief, collecting one strikeout. Carter pitched the ninth inning, walking one batter and striking out another.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Lombardo led off the first inning with a base hit up the middle, stole second, advanced to third via a Weis groundout and scored on a two-out error, handing WP an early 1-0 edge.
• The Cardinals took their first lead of the day with a two-run third, taking advantage of a walk, bunt single, wild pitch, sacrifice fly and run-scoring base hit.
• The Pioneers answered immediately, scoring twice during their next at-bat. A Weis base on balls and Yelin fielder's choice were followed by a Martin single through the right side and a Carter RBI-single into the left-field corner, knotting the score at 2-2. Lutz then lifted a sac fly to right field, plating Martin for a 3-2 advantage.
• WP tacked on two more in the fourth with a Pino walk, a Weis double and failed rundown that allowed Pino to slide home, and a Yelin run-scoring base hit through the left side.
• SJFC's pair of base hits and two-run double made it a 5-4 score during the top half of the fifth inning.
• William Paterson gave itself some breathing room with a three-run sixth. Senior center fielder Justin Grippo (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) was issued a leadoff walk and reached second on a throwing error by the first baseman on a subsequent fielder's choice. A double steal and errant throw scored one run, and after a Lombardo base on balls and a failed pickoff throw at first, a groundout and Yelin intentional walk loaded the bases. Martin delivered two runners with his base hit to left, pushing the Pioneers ahead by an 8-4 count.
• Two singles and a double allowed Fisher to score once during the top of the seventh inning and bring the potential tying run to the plate with two outs, but a flyout to left center sealed the victory for the Pioneers.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Martin posted two hits, a pair of RBI and a run scored. Carter went 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate, and recorded the save with 0.2 inning of one-hit, one-strikeout relief.
• Junior Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona) pitched the first 5.1 innings and allowed four runs, six hits and two walks while registering one strikeout (3-0).
• Senior Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) was charged with one run and two hits allowed, striking out one during 1.0 inning of action.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will host No. 20 St. John Fisher for a single game Sunday, March 6, at 12:00 p.m.

 
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