UNION, N.J. – Freshman Matt Caruso (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Technical) delivered the game-winning hit and senior Nick Durso (Morris Plains, N.J./Parsippany Hills) closed the door in relief to help propel the sixth-seeded William Paterson baseball team (16-22, 7-11 NJAC) to a 3-2 extra-innings upset road victory over third-seeded No. 12/12 Kean (29-11-1, 12-6 NJAC) in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament quarterfinals April 28.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• In the third inning, sophomore Alex Gomez (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) put a ball on the ground in the infield, and a throwing error by Kean allowed him to reach second safely. A single by junior Devin Daproza (Englewood, N.J./Leonia) moved Gomez to third before junior Avery Whitney (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) hit a sacrifice fly to left to put WP in front, 1-0.
• Daproza led off the seventh with a single to left center and advanced to third following a sacrifice bunt and a base hit by Caruso. Junior Ty Kobylakiewicz (Woodbridge, N.J./Woodbridge) then hit a sacrifice fly to center to help the Pioneers extend the lead to two (2-0).  
• Kean evened the score (2-2) with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.
• In the top of the 11th, a pair of walks put runners on first and second for WP, setting up Caruso for the game-winning RBI single through the right side.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Daproza finished 3-for-4 with a run scored.
• Caruso batted 2-for-5 with an RBI.
• Durso earned the win after tossing 2.0 scoreless frames in extra innings.
• Junior Jose Marte (Bogota, N.J./Bogota) went 7.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out four batters.
• Junior Stephen Kubis (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.
• Gomez recorded a single, a walk and a pair of runs scored.
• Kobylakiewicz and Whitney each drove in a run.
• Sophomore Jayden Villalta (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson advances to the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament to take on No. 13/15 Montclair State Thursday, April 30, at 3:00 p.m. in Montclair, N.J.

 
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