WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (26-13, 12-6 NJAC) secured a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament first-round home game thanks to an 8-10, 15-12 Senior Day split against New Jersey City (13-26, 4-14 NJAC) April 30.
Third-seeded WP will host fourth-seeded Kean (29-11, 12-6 NJAC) in the first round of the double-elimination tourney Tuesday, May 3, at 3:30 p.m.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Gothic Knights took advantage of five hits, a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch and a groundout to score four times during their first at-bat.
- The Pioneers got one of those runs back during the home half of the first inning with a leadoff infield single from senior third baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison), a stolen base and a base hit to left field by senior designated hitter Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional).
- WP added two more in the second. Freshman shortstop Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J./Verona) hit a two-out double to left that was thrown away by both the left fielder and the first baseman, allowing Radigan to come all the way around and score. Lombardo was then hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch before senior right fielder Vinnie Martin (Lodi, N.J./Bergen Catholic) sent an RBI-single up the middle, making it a 4-3 game.
- NJCU tacked three on to its lead in the fifth with a leadoff homer, walk, two singles and a groundout.
- William Paterson took its first lead of the day with a five-run fifth inning. Yelin was issued a leadoff walk, senior left fielder Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) singled to right and senior catcher Dylan Habeeb (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sophomore second baseman Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) forced in one run with his base on balls, and graduate student first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center. Two batters later, Radigan's ground ball through the right side plated to go-ahead run, 8-7.
- The Gothic Knights answered with three runs during the top half of the sixth inning with a double, sac bunt, steal, RBI-groundout, walk and sac fly.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lombardo finished 4-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Radigan was 3-for-5 while adding a double, RBI and two runs scored, and Carter finished 3-for-5 with a double and run.
- Senior Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) was charged with 10 runs (nine earned), 10 hits and three walks during 5.1 innings (3-2).
- Junior Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) worked 2.2 scoreless innings, scattering two hits and a pair of walks. Freshman Pat Pantoliano (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.
- William Paterson stranded 13 runners and hit into four double plays.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Three base hits and two groundouts made it a 2-0 NJCU lead in the first.
- Lombardo led off the home half of the first inning with a single to left, moved to second on a Martin groundout and scored when Habeeb doubled to center field, cutting the margin to 2-1.
- WP took a 3-2 lead in the third via a Lombardo hit by pitch, Martin base hit through the right side, Carter sacrifice fly, and Habeeb double and error.
- A double, RBI-single and two-run double handed the Gothic Knights a 5-3 fourth-inning edge.
- The Pioneers answered with six runs during their next at-bat for a 9-6 advantage. Radigan started the frame with a base hit to left, senior center fielder Justin Grippo (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) singled through the right side and Lombardo doubled to left center for two RBI. Martin followed with a two-bagger to right-center field, advanced to third on a Carter groundout and scored on a Habeeb sac fly. Yelin singled and Lutz walked, and they each moved up a base on a wild pitch before sophomore first baseman Chris Alberti's (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) dropped a two-run single into left, making it a 9-5 score.
- The Gothic Knights' double and single resulted in a single run during the top of the fifth inning.
- Back-to-back base hits by Martin and Carter pushed the Pioneers' lead to 10-6 after five.
- NJCU strung together a single, double and RBI-groundout for one run in the sixth.
- Three more runs in the seventh allowed New Jersey City to knot the score at 10-10.
- WP seized an 11-10 seventh-inning lead with a Grippo leadoff bunt single, Lombardo walk, Martin sacrifice and Carter groundout.
- The Pioneers gave themselves some breathing room with a four-run eighth. Alberti and Radigan walked and Grippo was hit by a pitch, leading to a Lombardo RBI-hit by pitch, a two-run Carter single to left and a Habeeb run-scoring base hit through the left side.
- The Gothic Knights plated two runs in the ninth and brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs, but Carter recorded the final out on strikes.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Habeeb was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBI, while Martin finished 3-for-5 and added a double, RBI and three runs scored. Lombardo went 2-for-3 and tallied a double, three RBI and four runs scored.
- Senior Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) allowed six runs (five earned) and nine hits during 4.0 innings as the starter.
- Freshman Nick Durso (Morris Plains, N.J./Parsippany Hills) pitched 2.1 innings and surrendered four runs (two earned), five hits and a walk, striking out two. Graduate student Jason Rivera (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) picked up the win with 1.0 shutout inning of relief, giving up two hits and posting one strikeout (1-0). Pantoliano walked one and struck out one in his 0.2 scoreless inning.
- Junior Darmany Rivas (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) was charged with two hits, two runs, one walk and one strikeout over 0.2 inning. Carter recorded the final out for his fifth save of the season.
- After the game, WP honored its 12 seniors – Carter, Grippo, Habeeb, Lawler, Chris Liriano (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), Lombardo, Manne, Martin, Rivers, Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) and Yelin.
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