GALLOWAY, N.J. – Four second-game home runs helped the William Paterson baseball team (7-16, 2-4 NJAC) split a doubleheader at Stockton (12-10, 3-1 NJAC), 5-16 and 20-12, April 6.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Ospreys plated a pair of unearned runs during the bottom of the second inning, then made it 4-0 in the third with two hit by pitches, a triple and a double.
- The Pioneers fought back for three in the fifth. Junior catcher Connor Luckie (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton High West) and junior designated hitter Gio Aresta started the inning with base hits, followed by an RBI-double down the left-field line by junior shortstop Tyler Ruban (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.). A walk for junior right fielder Christian Hay (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) loaded the bags, and junior pinch hitter RJ Mehnert (Wayne, N.J./DePaul Catholic) drove in two with a single down the left-field line.
- Two hits, a walk, hit by pitch and sacrifice fly extended Stockton's lead to 7-3 after five frames.
- Luckie drilled a solo homer to left to start the top of the sixth inning, making it a 7-4 game.
- Stockton opened things up with a nine-run seventh, building a 16-4 advantage.
- The Pioneers crossed the plate once in the ninth when Ruban singled, junior third baseman Ruven Pino (Fairview, N.J./Bergen Catholic) drew a walk, sophomore second baseman Sean McAllister (Toms River, N.J./Manchester Twp.) had an infield base hit and senior center fielder Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) was issued a bases-loaded walk.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Luckie went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored.
- Ruban finished 2-for-4 while adding a double, RBI and two runs. Aresta was 2-for-4 and touched the plate once.
- Senior Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona) pitched the first 6.0 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned), seven hits and a walk while striking out four (1-4).
- Sophomore Cole McGregor (British Colombia, Canada/Delta Secondary School) was charged with four runs, three hits, one walk and a strikeout in 0.1 inning.
- Senior Elian Mendez (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) gave up five runs (four earned) off one hit and four walks.
- Junior Matt Lemieux (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) tossed 1.2 scoreless innings and struck out three batters.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Freshman third baseman Ty Kobylakiewicz's (Woodbridge, N.J./Woodbridge) solo homer handed WP a 1-0 second-inning lead.
- Luckie's second home run of the day, this one to center field, started the top of the fourth inning. Aresta then sent a base hit through the left side, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored via a Kobylakiewicz RBI-single. Senior right fielder Noah Cabassa (Pomona, N.Y./North Rockland) singled up the middle, sophomore second baseman Dylan Santos (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) drew a walk to load the bases and junior catcher Austin Jack (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) drove home all three runners with a double to left-center field, making it a 6-0 margin.
- Stockton leveled the score at 6-6 during the home half of the fourth, thanks to four singles, a walk, a double and a sac fly.
- A grand slam handed the Ospreys a 10-6 advantage after five.
- Lutz started the top of the sixth with a homer to left, his first of the season. Cabassa added a double and Jack walked, leading to a Ruban two-run double to left center and a 10-9 deficit.
- WP rang up a six-run seventh inning. Aresta was hit by a pitch, Kobylakiewicz had a base hit and Lutz put down a bunt that was thrown away, giving the Pioneers an 11-10 edge. Cabassa singled in Lutz, Santos' bunt led to a throwing error and unearned run, Jack was issued a base on balls, Ruban lifted a sac fly to center, and Jack stole second and scored via a Luckie base hit, making it a 15-10 game.
- Kobylakiewicz led off the eighth with a base hit and Lutz followed with a homer to left-center field. Cabassa walked, Santos reached on an error, sophomore left fielder Matthew DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) sacrifice bunted, Ruban sent a two-run base hit to center, Luckie walked and Aresta had an RBI-single to center field, pushing the lead to 20-10.
- The Ospreys finished the scoring with a two-run ninth on a solo homer, single, steal, error, walk and error.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Kobylakiewicz was 4-for-6 with a homer, two RBI and four runs scored.
- Ruban drove in five runs, finishing 2-for-5 while contributing a double and run.
- Lutz went 3-for-4 while posting two home runs, a double, three RBI and three runs.
- Junior Chase Geisler (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) allowed 10 runs (five earned), eight hits and two walks while collecting a pair of strikeouts during 5.0 innings.
- Junior Nick Diaz (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton High West) picked up the win in relief (1-1) with 4.0 innings of two-run ball (one earned), scattering four hits and two walks and ringing up six batters.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson visits DeSales Wednesday, April 10, for a 5:00 p.m. game.
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