EWING, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (14-6, 0-2 NJAC) opened conference play with 10-5 and 6-4 losses at The College of New Jersey (13-7, 2-0 NJAC) March 29.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Junior third baseman Dylan Santos (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) opened the frame with a base hit to left, and after a hit by pitch for sophomore right fielder Stephen Kubis (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and a fielder's choice bunt by senior catcher Connor Luckie (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton High West), senior second baseman Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J./Verona) and senior first baseman Giovanni Aresta (Matawan, N.J./Old Bridge) delivered RBI-singles.
• WP doubled its advantage in the third with a one-out error, two-out Kubis base hit to left and Luckie two-run single to left field, making it a 4-0 game.
• Two hits and an error plated one Lion run in the fourth.
• Luckie singled in Santos, who had reached on a double, for a 5-1 edge during the top half of the fifth.
• TCNJ cut it to 5-2 in the sixth with a leadoff double and run-scoring base hit.
• Two home runs helped the Lions level the score at 5-5 in the seventh.
• A three-run homer, solo shot and a bases-loaded balk pushed TCNJ ahead by a 10-5 score in the eighth.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Luckie finished 2-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored, while Santos was 2-for-4 and added a double and two runs. Kubis finished 2-for-3 and scored once.
• Senior Chase Geisler (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) tossed the first 6.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out five.
• Senior Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona) surrendered five runs and four hits over 1.1 innings (3-1), and classmate Neel Telidevara (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick) gave up four hits and three runs (two earned) in 0.2 inning of relief.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Lions started the home half of the first with a home run to center.
• Doubles by Kubis and senior catcher Eliot Germanson (New York, N.Y./LaGuardia) tied the game at 1-1 in the second.
• TCNJ used a base hit, wild pitch and double for a 2-1 edge after two frames.
• Three hits resulted in two Lion runs in the third, 4-1.
• A leadoff homer extended the Lions' lead to 5-1 during the fourth inning.
• The Pioneers got three runs back in the fifth after senior left fielder Austin Jack (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) opened with a base hit to left, junior left fielder Jordan Brown (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) reached on an error, sophomore second baseman Devin Daproza (Englewood, N.J./Leonia) had an RBI-single to left, a Santos fielder's choice plated a run, and a Kubis base hit scored a runner, making it a 5-4 game.
• TCNJ added one insurance run in the eighth off a double, groundout and wild pitch.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Kubis was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Germanson went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.
• Sophomore Robert Nathan (Lords Valley, Pa./Vernon Twp.) allowed five runs on nine hits and a walk, striking out four (3-1).
• Junior Jose Marte (Bogota, N.J./Bogota) worked 1.0 inning and gave up a run, a hit and a walk.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson hosts DeSales Tuesday, April 1, at 3:30 p.m.

 
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• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia