The William Paterson baseball team ran its season-opening win streak to four games with a seven-inning doubleheader sweep of visiting Utica (0-2) March 10 at Jeff Albies Field. The Pioneers fought back from a 6-1 deficit for a 10-9 opening victory, and finished off the day with a 5-2 win.
William Paterson scored a total of four runs during its final three at-bats for a 5-2 victory.
Each team struck for a single run during the first inning. A one-out error, single and wild pitch gave Utica runners on second and third, and a groundout to second put the first run of the game on the scoreboard. William Paterson used an error, a Montanile single and a Derner RBI-double to even the score.
Utica received an unearned run during the top of the fourth, stringing together a single, walk, fielder's choice and an error. But, WP once again tied it up thanks to an Arnold leadoff walk and a Dorio double to left.
William Paterson took its first lead during the home half of the fifth. Flores lined a one-out double down the line in right, and after a flyout, Derner was intentionally walked. Arnold ripped a ground ball through the right side of the infield, scoring Flores for a 3-2 lead.
The Pioneers tacked on two insurance runs during the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) got aboard thanks to an error, Gibbons walked with one out, and a Flores fielder's choice coupled with a throwing error were enough to plate Somers. Montanile then singled in Flores, who had previously stolen second base.
Montanile finished the day going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Arnold went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a RBI.
Freshman Ryan Monaghan (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) allowed two unearned runs on two hits in his first college action, tossing the first 4.0 innings. Classmate Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) pitched 1.0 scoreless inning of relief for the victory (1-0), followed by senior Dan Alcala (Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional), who struck out one of the three batters he faced. Junior Matt Goitz (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) retired Utica in order in the seventh inning for his first save.
Dunbar was 2-for-3, and catcher Thomas Dinnen finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Chris Jeffers suffered the loss (0-1), allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 4.2 innings. Stephen Szatko tossed 1.1 innings, surrendering two earned runs on one hit, striking out two.