DAVENPORT, Fla. – The William Paterson baseball team (6-4) scored eight times during the top of the eighth inning to regain the lead, but couldn't close out Benedictine (8-3), 14-12, March 15 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Graduate student first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) singled to start the top of the second and graduate student right fielder Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) followed with a homer to left center, handing WP a 2-0 edge.
- A hit by pitch, base hit and two-run double leveled the score at 2-2 after two innings.
- Benedictine added two more runs during the home half of the third via two hit by pitches, and RBI-single and sacrifice fly.
- Carter's second round-tripper of the day, this one a solo shot to left, made it a 4-3 game in the fourth.
- The Eagles hung five runs on the scoreboard during their next at-bat, including a grand slam, for a 9-3 lead after four innings.
- Graduate student third baseman Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) singled in classmate Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison), who reached on a base hit, to cut the lead to 9-4 during the top of the fifth inning.
- Benedictine homered to start the sixth, pushing its advantage to 10-4.
- WP crossed the plate eight times during the top of the eighth. Yelin walked and advanced on a wild pitch, Weis singled and Carter sent an RBI-groundout to the pitcher. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Ruban (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) walked before sophomore catcher Austin Jack (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) and junior left fielder Elliott Hayward (Marlton, N.J./Old Bridge) each delivered run-scoring singles. Lombardo plated two runners with his base hit through the left side and junior center fielder Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) singled through the right side, leading to a Yelin three-run homer and a 12-10 game.
- Four singles, two hit by pitches and a sac fly allowed the Eagles to surge back ahead, 14-12, during the bottom of the eighth inning.
- A pair of bases on balls brought the go-ahead run to the plate with one out in the top of the ninth, but the Pioneers could not capitalize.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Carter finished 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI. Yelin went 2-for-4 while posting a homer, four RBI and two runs scored.
- Lombardo had two hits, a pair of RBI and two runs scored, while Weis was 3-for-5 and scored twice.
- Sophomore Matt Lemieux (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) pitched 4.0 innings and allowed nine runs on six hits and three walks, striking out two.
- Sophomore Neel Telidevara (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick) suffered the loss (0-1) after being charged with three hits and five runs over 3.1 innings of relief, posting two strikeouts.
- Senior Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) recorded the final two outs, registering a strikeout and giving up two hits.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson will play a doubleheader against Roger Williams Friday, March 17, at 2:30 p.m.
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