The Pioneers: Two-Time National Baseball Champions
William Paterson Sports Information
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The 1992 NCAA Division III National Championship Team
The 1992 National Championship Season
Dramatic Ninth-Inning Home Run Lifts WPC to First National Championship at 1992 College World Series
William Paterson captured its first-ever NCAA Division III national championship by defeating California Lutheran, 3-1, on a dramatic ninth-inning three-run home run by senior first baseman Ralph Perdomo on May 26, 1992, in Battle Creek, Mich. WPC finished the year with a 36-7 overall record and a 14-2 mark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
In addition to capturing the national championship, the Pioneers won the NJAC Tournament title and the NCA Tournament Mid-Atlantic Regional championship.
One of the top performers for the Pioneers in their drive for the national title was Perdomo. In World Series competition, Perdomo hit .471 with six runs-batted-in and the championship, game-winning home run. He finished the season with a .359 batting average, 47 RBI, 60 hits and a team-high 52 runs scored. Perdomo garnered the following honors on the season along the way: all-American, College World Series MVP, all-Region, all-State and all-NJAC.
Junior outfielder Keith Eaddy finished the season batting .391 with 48 runs scored. A first-team All-American, Eaddy topped the team in hits (68), RBI (61) and doubles (18). Senior outfielder John DiGirolamo capped off his playing career in fine style, earning all-America honors. He appeared in 41 games, belted out 61 hits, scored 46 runs and notched 11 doubles.
WPC had one of the top pitching staffs in collegiate baseball in 1992, with juniors Scott Farber and Bob Graham serving as staff "aces". Farber hurled a complete-game victory against California Lutheran in the championship game of the College World Series. He finished the year with an 8-0 record, four saves, and an earned-run average of 2.67. For his standout performance at the CWS, Farber was named to the 1992 NCAA Division III Championship All-Tournament Team.
Graham had the second-best record amongst Pioneer pitchers, as he finished the year with a perfect 7-0 mark. He worked 60 innings with 27 strikeouts, and posted an ERA of 2.40. At the CWS, Graham tallied victories over Marietta and Ithaca.
WPC finished the 1992 season on a 12-game winning streak, and won 18 of its last 19 games.
The 1992 National Champion Pioneers
Sandor Christian, P
Jason Casamento, P
Shawn Kelly, P
Dave Lissy, P
Pete Ellerbrock, P
Bob Graham, P
Kevin Thompson, P
George Mendoza, P
Tim Vinges, P
Steve Middleman, P
Scott Farber, P
Scott Fleming, P
Doug Britten, C
Tom Catherman, INF
Brian Detwiler, C
Manny Perez, C/INF
Troy McAllister, SS
Joe Carter, 3B
Dan Bartolmeo, 2B
Jude McDonald, INF
George Collins, 3B
Ralph Perdomo, 1B
John DiGirolamo, OF
Ed Mitchell, OF
Dean DiGrazio, RF
Marc Scher, OF
Keith Eaddy, OF
Coaches
Jeff Albies – Head Coach
Bob Lauterhahn
Brian Aviles
Mike Voza
Rudy Innocenti
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The 1996 National Championship Season
WPC defeats California Lutheran, 6-5, to Capture the 1996 NCAA Division III National Championship
The William Paterson baseball team captured the 1996 NCAA Division III national championship when the Pioneers upended California Lutheran University, 6-5, on Wednesday, May 29, 1996, in Salem, Va. WPC, under the guidance of head coach Jeff Albies, finished the season with a 39-5-1 record and its second national championship in five years.
One of the key performers in WPC's drive to the championship was senior shortstop Brian Lindner. Lindner, a first-team all-America selection, finished the season batting a scorching .440, while belting out eight round-trippers. He set new single-season records in hits (84), runs-batted-in (79) and doubles (19). The previous record holders were Rick Capozzi (78 hits – 1988), Dan Pasqua (76 RBIs – 1982), Keith Eaddy and Manny Perez (18 doubles, 1992 & 1993). Lindner batted .444 with eight RBI and had a .556 slugging percentage in College World Series play. He earned a spot on the College World Series All-Tournament Team as a result of his standout play.
The Pioneer pitching staff combined for a school-record 21 complete games, and two of the leaders of this mound crew were junior lefty Brian Appelman and junior righty Bob Slomkowski. Appelman, a third-team all-American, set a new Pioneer single-season record in wins with 11, and strikeouts with 75. In 12 games worked, Appelman posted a perfect 11-0 record with a 3.61 ERA while pitching 92.1 innings.
Slomkowski finished the season with a perfect 9-0 record and an ERA of 2.86. He appeared in 11 games, posted seven complete games, threw 85 innings, and notched 32 strikeouts. He picked up a 6-1 complete-game victory against Wisconsin-Oshkosh on May 27 in the CWS.Â
Senior right fielder Brian Kelly finished the season with a.400 batting average. Kelly, a second-team all-American, scored 53 runs on 66 hits and drove in 47 batters. He smacked 17 doubles, two triples, and knocked out a team-leading nine home runs.
Sophomore center fielder Mark DeMenna, who batted an incredible .500 in CWS play, completed the year with a .391 batting average. DeMenna, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CWS, banged out 70 hits, 39 RBI, nine doubles and four round-trippers on the season. He led the team in triples with three, and was tied with Mike Scher for the team lead in runs scored with 68.Â
Scher, who served as the Pioneers' designated hitter, completed the year with a .312 batting average. He collected 54 hits, seven doubles, one triple and five home runs. A terror on the base paths, Scher was successful on 27 of his 34 stolen base attempts. He was just five stolen bases shy of breaking Dan Pasqua's Pioneer record of 31 stolen bases, set in 1982.
One of the anchors of the Pioneer infield was sophomore second baseman Dan Lauterhahn. The slick-fielding Lauterhahn helped the Pioneers turn 40 of their NCAA Division III-leading 55 doubles plays, while batting an impressive .378. He started all 45 games played, scored 38 runs, slapped 18 doubles, and tallied 68 hits.
Senior third baseman Paul Bumbaco finished his collegiate career as the all-time Pioneer leader in hits (226), at-bats (620), runs-batted-in (182) and doubles (50). He concluded the season with a .331 batting average, 33 runs scored, 50 hits and 15 doubles. Bumbaco, who was named to the CWS All-Tournament Team, batted .316 in tournament action with two runs scored and a pair of doubles.
Junior catcher Dan Egbert had a banner year, posting a career-high .366 batting average with 36 runs scored and 59 hits. He collected 11 doubles and drove in 31 runs.Â
Senior left fielder Scott Wolfe and junior first baseman Greg Cimilluca posted solid numbers. Wolfe completed the year with a .322 batting average and drove in 28 runs, while Cimilluca batted .342 with 23 RBI. Cimilluca drove in the winning run in William Paterson's dramatic championship-game win against California Lutheran.Â
Senior Brian Monacelli, freshman Eduardo Gomez and sophomore Brenden Lago teamed to form a talented trio of Pioneer pitchers. Monacelli notched a 5-2 record, appeared in 13 games, and worked 50.2 innings. Gomez, who came in relief to win the national championship game, finished the year with an 8-1 record, earning a spot on the CWS All-Tournament Team as a pitcher. Lago, who won the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship game, finished the year with a 2-0 record and two saves.
The 1996 National Champion Pioneers
Joe LaManna, C
Dan Lauterhahn, 2B
Mike Scher, OF
Paul Bumbaco, 3B
Brian Lindner, SS
Brian Kelly, OF
Scott Wolfe, OF
Dan Egbert, C
Mark DeMenna, OF
Bill Zabotka, P
Craig Cutler, INF
Brenden Lago, P
Brian Appelman, P
Bob Slomkowski, P
Ismael Alsina, P
Colin Bristow, P
Nick Franklin, INF
Brian Monacelli, P
Greg Cimilluca, 1B
Marc Salvatore, INF
Rich Bozich, P
Jason Hawkes, P
Mark Maire, INF
Steve Cook, OF
Eduardo Gomez, P
Matt Piccini, P
Pete Banach, P
Coaches
Jeff Albies – Head Coach
Bob Lauterhahn
Tom Kraljic
Ron Van Saders
Sean Rooney
Garett Teel
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