UNION, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (14-8, 3-0 NJAC) opened up a 4-0 lead and held a late Kean (13-10, 2-1 NJAC) rally in check to secure a 4-2 victory April 8.
The Pioneers took a 2-0 lead during the top of the third inning. Senior third baseman Victor Sanchez (Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) led off with a double down the left-field line and senior left fielder Tyler Garguilo (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt. Garguilo stole second before junior center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) singled to shortstop to plate Sanchez and Garguilo touched home on a double play.
Graduate student shortstop K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) opened the sixth with a walk, junior designated hitter Eriq Colon (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) hit a single up the middle and senior right fielder Jimmy Kenny (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) sacrificed the runners up 90 feet. Junior catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) then doubled to right field to hand WP a 4-0 edge.
The Cougars got on the scoreboard with two runs during the home half of the eighth. Junior left fielder Tyler Heisch and freshman center fielder Shayne Fontana both walked and senior right fielder Ryan Kelley singled through the right side to start the frame, and a Sal Taormina infield base hit and fielder's choice made it a 4-2 margin. Kean still had the bases loaded with zero outs, but two strikeouts and a groundout ended the inning.
Abate was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Knauf added a two-run double.
Senior Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) tossed 7.0 innings of one-run ball, scattering six hits and two walks while striking out three (4-2). Freshman Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) allowed one run on one hit and a walk, and sophomore Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) earned his sixth save of the year with 2.0 innings of work, posting two strikeouts and one walk allowed.
Kelley and Taormina were both 2-for-4 with the Cougars. Junior Richie Ferguson pitched the complete game, giving up four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five (3-3).
William Paterson will host a doubleheader against The College of New Jersey Sunday, April 10, at 11:30 a.m.
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