UNION, N.J. – Behind a dominant pitching performance by junior
Rob Nathan (Lords Valley, Pa./Vernon Twp.), the William Paterson baseball team (11-16, 5-5 NJAC) earned an 8-3 win over No. 7 Kean (22-8-1, 6-4 NJAC) in game one before the Cougars bounced back to claim a 3-1 victory in game two to split the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader April 11.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Junior Devin Daproza (Englewood, N.J./Leonia) and senior Jordan Brown (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) led off the first inning with back-to-back singles, setting up freshman Matt Caruso (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Technical) for a three-run homer to put WP in front, 3-0.
- The Pioneers loaded the bases with one out in the second when junior Ty Kobylakiewicz (Woodbridge, N.J./Woodbridge) walked to drive in a run. Junior Stephen Kubis (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) then fouled out to right field, but a run crossed on the play to extend the advantage to five (5-0).
- A dropped fly ball by the Kean right fielder allowed senior Dylan Santos (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) to reach second to open the sixth inning for the Pioneers. After a sacrifice bunt moved him to third, sophomore Sean Lauterhahn (Oradell, N.J./River Dell) recorded an RBI bunt single, making it 6-0. Lauterhahn later came around to score the Pioneers' second run of the frame on an RBI single to center by Caruso.
- Kean plated three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to trim the deficit to five (7-3).
- Two walks in the seventh put a pair of Pioneers on base and Lauterhahn delivered an RBI single to right center to push the lead to five (8-3).
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Nathan threw a complete game, striking out nine batters while surrendering three runs, none earned, on five hits.
- Brown batted 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
- Caruso went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and a run scored.
- Kobylakiewicz logged three hits and an RBI.
- Daproza crossed home twice during a two-hit outing.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Daproza recorded a one-out single in the third and later scored on an RBI base hit up the middle by Caruso to give WP the early 1-0 lead.
- Kean evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth before taking a one-run advantage (2-1) in the seventh.
- A solo home run in the eighth pushed the Kean lead to two (3-1).
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Caruso drove in a run and tallied two hits.
- Colon finished 2-for-3 with a double.
- Daproza went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.
- Senior Julian Salinas (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) pitched 6.1 innings, allowing only two runs on four hits.
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