GALLOWAY, N.J. -- No. 30 William Paterson (16-6, 4-4 NJAC) secured a 12-11, 11-inning victory against host Stockton (11-10, 3-6 NJAC), then finished off a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) baseball sweep with a 6-1 win in the night cap April 11.
Game One
A one-out fielder's choice proved to be the difference as WP secured a 12-11 opening victory.
The Pioneers crossed the plate first with a single run during the top of the first inning. Sophomore center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third via a base hit from graduate student first baseman AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange). Junior right fielder Jimmy Kenny (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) then delivered Abate with an infield single for a 1-0 lead.
The Ospreys posted three unearned runs thanks to a pair of hits, an error and a walk in the bottom of the first.
WP evened the score during the top of the second inning. Sophomore catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) reached on a one-out error, and after a foulout, he stole second and touched home when Abate sent a single up the middle. Junior left fielder Tyler Garguilo (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) had a base hit to left and Flores plated Abate with an RBI-single to center.
Stockton pulled back ahead with two second-inning scores, using three straight hits and a groundout, but William Paterson cut the lead to 5-4 when junior shortstop Victor Sanchez (Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) singled to short, stole second and third and scampered home as Knauf had a base hit to third base in the third inning.
WP surged ahead with a five-run fourth. Abate drilled a leadoff home run to left, Garguilo singled to short and stole second, and Flores put down a bunt single. Kenny singled in Garguilo, and Sanchez's bunt single and an error plated Flores and Kenny. A groundout by freshman second baseman Jacob Bailey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) was enough to allow Sanchez to touch the plate and make it a 9-5 margin.
A double and two groundouts made it a 9-6 game after four innings, but the Pioneers got a Sanchez walk, stolen base and RBI-single from freshman designated hitter Jordan Aughey (Wanaque, N.J./Lakeland Regional) to add a run in the sixth.
The Ospreys crossed the plate three times during the home half of the sixth with a two-run double and a run-scoring single to right.
Flores opened the eighth inning with a double to left-center field and a stolen base, and Sanchez plated him with a sacrifice fly to left.
Two hit by pitches and a double down the left-field line allowed Stockton to score once in the bottom of the eighth, and the Ospreys tied the score at 11-11 in the ninth inning with a walk, sacrifice, error and base hit up the middle.
Stockton had a runner on third with one out in the 10th, but WP got out of the jam with a popup and flyout.
Sanchez delivered a one-out single to left field during the top of the 11th inning, advanced to second when Aughey had a base hit to the pitcher and scored when freshman Rob Eggert (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) hit a ground ball to the third baseman.
Flores was 4-for-6 with a double, three stolen bases, an RBI and two runs scored, while Sanchez went 3-for-4 and collected three steals, two RBI and four runs scored. Abate finished 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored, and Garguilo, Kenny, Aughey and Knauf each contributed two hits.
Senior Tom Gaccione (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) threw the first 5.1 innings and allowed 10 hits and nine runs (three earned) with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. Junior Jon Bujtas (Boonton, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) surrendered a run, a hit and a walk in 1.2 innings on the bump, and senior Joe Moran (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) gave up one unearned run and a hit during 1.0 inning with a strikeout and a base on balls. Junior Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) got the win in relief (1-0), tossing the final 3.0 shutout innings while giving up two hits and a pair of walks.
Junior center fielder Dan Sweeney finished 3-for-5 with four runs scored for Stockton. Senior Doug Pastore suffered the loss (0-2), giving up one run on three hits during 4.0 innings while striking out four.
Game Two
Freshman Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) pitched the complete game as William Paterson finished the day with a 6-1 win.
Kanuf opened the top of the third inning with a single to center and a stolen base before junior third baseman Justin Ferreira (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) had a base hit to put runners on the corners. Garguilo's two-out single to center field handed WP a 2-0 edge.
Aughey hit a one-out double, Knauf came up with an infield single and Bailey put down a squeeze bunt for a 3-0 score in the fourth.
The Pioneers added another run during the top of the fifth inning. Abate led off with a base hit through the left side and Garguilo reached base on an error during his sacrifice attempt. A groundout moved the runners up 90 feet, and Kenny plated Abate with a sac fly to center field.
A Knauf single, Bailey walk and Ferreira fielder's choice left WP with runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth. Ferreira stole second before an Abate base on balls, and Garguilo's ground ball up the middle made it a 6-0 William Paterson lead.
Stockton scored its lone run during the bottom of the ninth inning with a pair of singles and an error.
Knauf finished 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs. Garguilo went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs, Kenny was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Ferreira finished 2-for-4, stole two bases and scored twice.
Danza (3-0) allowed one unearned run on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
Junior second baseman Vaughn Champion was 2-for-4 and drove in a run for Stockton. Starter Aidan Ryan took the loss (4-1), giving up nine hits and six runs (five earned) over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and two walks.
William Paterson will play a doubleheader at The College of New Jersey Sunday, April 12, at 11:30 a.m.
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