WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (19-9, 7-3 NJAC) came out on top of a pair of one-run games to sweep visiting Stockton (17-13, 5-5 NJAC), 4-3 and 5-4, April 16.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Two hits and a walk resulted in one Osprey run during the top of the first inning.
- The Pioneers struck back for three in the third. Graduate student second baseman Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) launched a solo shot to left center, his fifth of the year, and graduate student catch Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) immediately followed with a blast to left, his team-leading seventh homer of the season, for a 2-1 lead. Graduate student first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) drew a walk, graduate student designated hitter Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) sent a base hit through the left side and junior center fielder Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) did the same for an RBI-single, making it a 3-1 game.
- WP added one more in the fifth on a Lutz walk, base hit to right by junior left fielder Noah Cabassa (Pomona, N.Y./North Rockland) and infield RBI-single by sophomore third baseman Ruven Pino (Fairview, N.J./Bergen Catholic).
- Stockton got two runs back in the seventh with a single, walk, fielder's choice sacrifice and three base hits, cutting William Paterson's lead to 4-3. The Ospreys had the bases loaded with two outs, but senior Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) took the mound and got a comebacker ground ball that he tossed to first base for the inning-ending third out.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Yelin was 2-for-4 with a home run, and Lombardo finished 2-for-5 with a homer. Lutz went 2-for-4 while adding an RBI and run scored.
- Junior Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona) scattered three runs, 11 hits and two walks over 6.2 innings, striking out two (2-2).
- Castaneda picked up his third save of the season with 2.1 shutout innings of hitless relief, registering one strikeout.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A solo home run, two walks and a single handed Stockton a 2-0 first-inning lead.
- The Ospreys tacked on one more run in the second thanks to a walk, stolen base and error, and base hit.
- Stockton stretched its advantage to 4-0 in the fourth via a base hit, stolen base and error on a sacrifice bunt.
- WP got one run back during the home half of the fourth on a Lombardo leadoff double, Weis groundout and Carter RBI-single up the middle.
- The Pioneers cut the deficit to one in the fifth. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Ruban (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) opened with a base on balls and graduate student right fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) sent a one-out pitch to left before RBI-singles by Lombardo and Yelin made it a 4-3 score.
- Yelin's second home run of the day knotted the score at 4-4 during the bottom of the seventh inning.
- Weis started the bottom of the ninth inning with a double to center, Carter was intentionally walked and Lutz drew a six-pitch base on balls to load the bags with zero outs. Junior left fielder Elliott Hayward (Marlton, N.J./Old Bridge), who had entered the game as a defensive replacement during the top of the eighth, hit a long fly ball to the base of the fence in center field, a walk-off single to give the Pioneers the victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Yelin finished 2-for-5 while posting a homer and two RBI. Carter was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Lombardo went 2-for-4 while registering a double and run scored.
- Senior Darmany Rivas (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) struck out six over 6.2 innings, surrendering four runs (three earned), eight hits and four walks.
- Sophomore Matt Lemieux (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) walked one batter in 0.1 inning of action.
- Sophomore Neel Telidevara (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick) got the win in relief (3-1), allowing a hit and a walk in 2.0 scoreless innings of action.
- It was the Pioneers' third walk-off win of the season. WP defeated Keystone by a 6-5 score March 23 and won 7-6 in 13 innings against Manhattanville March 24, both at Jeff Albies Field.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson hosts Scranton Tuesday, April 18, at 4:00 p.m.
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