UNION, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (12-13-2, 5-5 NJAC) suffered a pair of losses at Kean (20-11, 6-4 NJAC) April 15, dropping the first game by an 8-1 count and game two by a 9-7 score.

Game One

The Pioneers scored first, but the Cougars put together a three-run third on their way to an 8-1 win.

Freshman shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) opened the contest with a double down the right-field line, advanced to third when junior right fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) flied out to center, and scored when senior designated hitter Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) singled through the left side.

A triple and groundout knotted the score at 1-1 in the second for Kean, and the Cougars used four singles, a sacrifice bunt and a sac fly to make it a 4-1 game in the third.

An error and two fly balls pushed the Cougars' advantage to 5-1 during the home half of the fifth, and they tacked on another run in the sixth with a walk, stolen base and RBI-single.

A pair of base hits and an error finished the scoring in the eighth.

Ferrara finished 3-for-3 while collecting a double and run scored.

Sophomore starter Corey Martinez (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits and a walk, striking out four over 5.2 innings (4-1). Classmate Kevin Ludden (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) threw 1.1 innings of one-hit ball, issuing one base on balls, and senior Mike Sasso (West Orange, N.J./Montclair Kimberley) gave up three hits and two runs with one strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief.

Freshman center fielder Frank LoGuidice went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored for KU. Freshman Justin Hernandez pitched a complete game, allowing one run on seven hits and four walks while striking out five.

Game Two

WP had the tying run at the plate during the top of the ninth, but couldn't finish the comeback during a 9-7 decision.

The Pioneers once again scored first, as freshman designated hitter Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) singled through the right side, moved to second on a Hoagland groundout and trotted home when senior first baseman Eriq Colón (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) drilled a base hit up the middle during the top of the first inning.

A base hit, double, two-run single and three consecutive base hits made it a 4-1 Kean edge in the second.

Kean added two more in the third, stringing together a walk, error, sacrifice and back-to-back RBI-singles.

Freshman left fielder Eric Breun (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) drew a walk, and an error on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore third baseman Jon Bernotas (Andover, N.J./Newton) led to a hit by pitch for junior second baseman Rob Eggert (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), loading the bases during the top of the fourth inning. After a lineout, Dorio walked to force across a run and make it a 6-2 game.

The Cougars scored once in the fourth and twice in the fifth to extend their lead to 9-2.

Freshman right fielder Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) and Breun walked before Bernotas hit an infield single to load the bases with no one out during the top of the eighth. Eggert's base on balls forced in a run, as did Ferrara's single through the right side. Sophomore Anthony DiBartolo (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) hit a pinch-hit sac fly, Hoagland had an RBI-groundout and Colón tripled to right-center field to pull WP within two at 9-7.

A two-out walk brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth, but a strikeout ended the contest.

Colón was 3-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBI, and Dorio finished 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.

Junior starter Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) pitched the first 2.0 innings and gave up seven hits and four runs (2-1). Classmate Adam Miller (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) surrendered three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk over 2.0 innings, and junior Steve Duda (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) was charged with one hit, two runs and a walk without recording an out. Freshman Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) and sophomore Jeff Lombardi (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) combined to allow three hits during 2.0 scoreless innings, while senior Frank Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) scattered two hits over 2.0 shutout innings.

Junior left fielder Jim Fitzgerald finished 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored for KU. Senior reliever Mike Occhi improved to 4-0 with 3.1 innings of work, giving up three hits, four runs and three walks while striking out five in 3.1 innings on the mound.

William Paterson will compete at Scranton Tuesday, April 18, at 5:00 p.m.

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