LAKELAND, FLA. – Six Pioneers had multi-hit efforts as the William Paterson baseball team (4-2) cruised past Endicott (2-1), 18-4, March 18.
Senior designated hitter Trevor Haughney (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) was 5-for-6 with four RBI, and freshman catcher Brady Pevny (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) went 4-for-5 and added three RBI and three runs scored. Senior second baseman AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) finished 3-for-4 with a double and four runs-batted-in, while freshman center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) was 3-for-6, hitting a double, driving in two runs and scoring three times.
Haughney's single through the right side handed WP a 2-0 first-inning lead, and Abate, Flores and Haughney each drove in a run during a three-run second.
The Gulls got one run back during the top half of the fifth inning, but the Pioneers answered with five scores of their own during the bottom of the frame. Pevny singled in a base runner, senior shortstop Rob Pasternak (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Flores drew an RBI-walk and two more runners touched the plate thanks to an error, making it a 10-1 score.
Endicott responded by scoring twice during the sixth inning before William Paterson blew the game open with an eight-run seventh. Sophomore third baseman K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) plated a pair of runs with his base hit through the left side of the infield, Pevny singled in two more and Abate delivered a bases-loaded single for the fifth score of the inning. Flores drove in two runners with a base hit to right field, and Haughney finished the effort with an RBI-single.
The Gulls used a hit by pitch and triple to finish the scoring with a single run during the top of the eighth inning.
Senior Anthony DeEsposito (Ridgefield, N.J./Ridgefield Memorial) earned the victory in his first start as a Pioneer, scattering six hits over 6.0 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) while registering three strikeouts and two walks (1-0). Sophomore Jon Padilla (Eilzabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) gave up a run and two hits in 2.0 innings on the mound, and classmate Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) tossed 1.0 scoreless inning.
Junior second baseman Harry Oringer accounted for three of Endicott's eight hits. Sophomore Davarn Nova suffered the loss (0-1), surrendering five runs on nine hits in 4.0 innings.
William Paterson will play Western New England Wednesday, March 19, at 4:00 p.m.
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