CAMDEN, N.J. – A four-run ninth inning allowed the William Paterson baseball team (13-8, 2-0 NJAC) to open New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play with a 4-3, 8-7 sweep at No. 8/10 Rutgers-Camden (10-6, 0-2 NJAC) April 2.
Game One
The Pioneers jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held on for a 4-3 opening victory.
Junior center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) started the game by reaching second via an error and promptly scored when graduate student shortstop K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) doubled to left. Junior designated hitter Eriq Colon (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) singled in Abel and WP owned a 2-0 lead.
Junior designated hitter Andujar Cedeno's solo home run to lead off the bottom of the second made it a 2-1 margin.
Base hits by junior catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) and senior first baseman Jon Bujtas (Boonton, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) were followed by a sacrifice bunt from sophomore second baseman Rob Eggert (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) during the top of the fourth. A single to right field by senior third baseman Victor Sanchez (Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) pushed WP's advantage to 4-1.
An error, walk and base hit loaded the bases for the Scarlet Raptors with no one out in the fifth, and junior Joe Brooks lifted a sacrifice fly to center for a 4-2 score.
Two singles and a sacrifice were followed by a two-out Zach Efflin sac fly, making it a 4-3 game in the eighth. Rutgers-Camden had the tying run at third base with two outs in the ninth, but a final groundout ended the threat.
Sanchez was 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Colon finished 2-for-4 with a run-batted-in.
Sophomore Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) surrendered two runs (one earned), six hits and two walks in 4.0 innings, striking out one. Senior Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) gave up one run on two hits and two walks while striking out one in 3.0 innings of relief (3-2), while sophomore Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) struck out one and walked one in 2.0 innings for his fourth save of the season.
Cedeno went 3-for-4 with a solo homer. Senior Billy Jackson fell to 4-1, allowing four runs (three earned) and eight hits while striking out six.
Game Two
The Pioneers rallied late for an 8-7 win in the night cap.
A Brett Tenuto double and stolen base, and a Chris Jones RBI-single, handed Rutgers-Camden a 1-0 first-inning lead.
Sanchez opened the top of the third with a double down the right-field line and was sacrificed to third by senior left fielder Tyler Garguilo (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) before Abate doubled down the left-field line and tied the game. Three batters later, Knauf singled in Abate and WP owned a 2-1 edge.
Rutgers-Camden leveled the score during its next at-bat when freshman third baseman Ray Taylor singled through the right side, advanced two bases via a wild pitch and sacrifice, and scored on a Joe Sigismondi sac fly.
A double, hit by pitch and error loaded the bases for the Scarlet Raptors with no one out during the home half of the fourth. An error on the attempted back end of a double play plated two runs, and a later RBI-single by Taylor made it a 5-2 score.
WP responded with a single run in the top of the fifth. An error, Abel single, fielder's choice and error when attempting to turn a double play allowed Abel to touch home and make it a 5-3 margin.
Rutgers-Camden got its leadoff hitter aboard on an error, junior center fielder Cory Kreamer doubled, Taylor hit a run-scoring groundout and Sigismondi later doubled in Kreamer for a 7-3 edge after six.
Knauf reached on a one-out error in the top of the eighth, sophomore Anthony Hoagland(Dumont, N.J./Dumont) delivered a pinch-hit, two-out single through the right side and junior Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) followed with a pinch-hit single of his own, this one into center field to drive in Knauf for a 7-4 score.
Garguilo opened the top of the ninth inning with a base hit to left and Abate walked before a strikeout and flyout. Knauf's double down the left-field line scored two runs, and after he was lifted for senior pinch runner Jordan Aughey (Wanaque, N.J./Lakeland Regional), senior right fielder Jimmy Kenny's (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) single to right center tied the score. Kenny moved up a base thanks to a passed ball, and he scored the go-ahead run when Hoagland dropped a base hit into left field.
The Scarlet Raptors had the tying run on first thanks to a one-out walk, but Kopko induced two fly balls to end the game.
Knauf finished 2-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Kenny went 2-for-5 and posted an RBI and run scored, while Hoagland was 2-for-2 and drove in a run.
Freshman Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) tossed the first 4.2 innings, giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out four. Freshman Eric Rosenberg (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) allowed two hits and two unearned runs in 0.1 inning, while freshman Kevin Ludden (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) had one strikeout and one hit allowed over 1.0 inning. Junior Mike Sasso (West Orange, N.J./Montclair Kimberley) posted one strikeout and a walk during 2.0 innings on the mound (1-4), and Kopko pitched the ninth inning for his fifth save.
Taylor was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored for Rutgers-Camden. Senior Andrew Gottstein surrendered four runs (two earned) and seven hits over 7.1 innings, striking out two. Sophomore Carter Fichter (1-1) tossed the final 1.2 innings and gave up four runs (three earned), six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
William Paterson will host Kean Thursday, April 7, at 3:30 p.m.
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