AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The William Paterson baseball team (6-3) dropped both ends of a March 14 doubleheader to Oswego State (4-6) at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Lakers grabbed the seven-inning game one win, 27-7, before claiming the seven-inning victory in game two, 9-4.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- William Paterson wasted no time and jumped out to an immediate 5-0 lead in the top of the first. Graduate student Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) was plunked by a pitch to lead off the game and after a double by junior Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), the two came in to score on a two-RBI double by senior Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional). Graduate student Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) then drove in Yelin for the Pioneers third run of the frame.
- A pair of singles by graduate student Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and sophomore Tyler Ruban (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) loaded the bases and despite Weis being thrown out at home trying to score on a ball put in play, Carter and Ruban crossed home on the ensuing at-bat after a two-RBI base knock by graduate student Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont).
- The Lakers trimmed the deficit to one (5-4) with four runs in the bottom of the first, but the Pioneers countered in the second frame. Lutz led things off with a single before scoring on a Weis RBI double to left center. Weis later came around to score on a fielder's choice that was put in play by sophomore Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J./Verona) to make it a 7-4 game.
- The William Paterson lead did not hold for long as Oswego State plated 10 runs on four hits in the third before tacking on 13 additional runs the rest of the way to secure the win in game one.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lutz batted 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Weis scored once and drove in two on three hits.
- Carter went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.
- DiGirolamo and Yelin each recorded a pair of RBI on one hit apiece.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Oswego State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Pioneers responded in the bottom half of the frame. Lombardo led off the inning with an infield single and made his way over to third on a throwing error by the Laker pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Lutz. With two outs, Weis reached on a fielder's choice and he later scored on an RBI single by DiGirolamo to put the Pioneers ahead, 2-1.
- The Lakers came right back and evened the score in the second and it remained a 2-2 game until the third. Carter belted a one-out double down the left field line and scored two batters later on a Ruban triple.
- In the fourth, Oswego State regained the lead with a five-run inning that put the Lakers ahead, 7-3.
- The Pioneers got a run back in the fifth after Carter notched a leadoff double and scored on an RBI single by sophomore Jake Fallers (Wilmington, Del./Archmere Academy).
- However, the Lakers tacked on two additional runs in the sixth before securing the 9-4 victory in game two.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lombardo went 3-for-5 with a run scored.
- Carter picked up three hits in four at-bats with a pair of runs scored.
- DiGirolamo and Ruban both recorded a pair of hits and an RBI.
UP NEXT:
- The Pioneers return to action at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Wednesday, March 15, for a 10:00 a.m. game against Benedictine.
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