AUBURNDALE, FLA. – William Paterson (5-5) opened its seven-inning doubleheader against Anderson, Ind. (7-8) with a 6-1 victory, but a final-inning rally cost the Pioneers a sweep after a 5-4 loss in the night cap March 13 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
Game One
Freshman Kyle Weiner allowed just one unearned run over 6.0 innings as WP started the day with a 6-1 win.
Freshman center fielder Steven DiGirolamo opened the game with a home run to right, and the Pioneers added two more in the third with an Anthony Hoagland walk, an Eric Breun run-scoring double to center and a Dan Carter RBI-single to left field.
Sophomore second baseman Matt Ferrara was hit by a one-out pitch and Hoagland singled to right before Breun delivered an RBI-single to right field for a 4-0 edge in the fourth.
A double, passed ball and failed pickoff allowed the Ravens to cross the plate during the bottom of the fifth inning.
Ferrara's two-out double was followed by a Francis Deane hit by pitch and Hoagland walk to load the bases for Breun in the sixth, and he drove in a pair of runs with a double to center field.
Breun finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, four RBI and a run scored, while Carter went 2-for-4 and drove in a runner.
Weiner (2-0) struck out 10 during 6.0 innings of work, scattering four hits and walking one. Junior Eric Rosenberg tossed the final 1.0 inning and gave up a hit.
Sophomore Thomas Parker was 2-for-3 for Anderson. Classmate Jackson Bland (0-2) surrendered six runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out seven in 5.2 innings.
Game Two
Anderson plated three runs in the top of the seventh for a 5-4 comeback victory.
A hit by pitch and double put the Ravens on the scoreboard during the second, but WP answered with a run of its own during its next at-bat. Deane was issued a leadoff walk before a fielder's choice and strikeout. Senior catcher Jorge Solodkin hit a two-out single and DiGirolamo drew a base on balls, leading to a Carter RBI-single.
Freshman shortstop Greg Cuevas walked and stole second with two outs in the third, and Deane drove him in with a double for a 2-1 edge.
A catcher's interference put Breun aboard to start the fifth, and after a Carlos Perez base on balls, freshman pinch runner Evan Smith replaced Breun at second. Cuevas sacrificed the runners up a base, and after Deane was intentionally walked to load the bags, Ferrara lifted a sacrifice fly to left.
The Ravens strung together a hit by pitch and a pair of base hits for a single run during the top of the sixth inning, but the Pioneers made it a 4-2 margin during the home half of the frame with a Carter single up the middle, balk and error.
A home run opened the top of the seventh for Anderson, and three consecutive singles loaded the bases with no one out. A long foulout scored a run, and a sacrifice fly pushed the Ravens ahead by a 5-4 count.
Carter led the offense with a 2-for-4 effort, adding an RBI and run scored.
Senior starter Adam Miller went 6.0 innings, giving up two runs on six hits while recording seven punchouts. Rosenberg (0-1) surrendered three runs and four hits in 0.1 inning, and junior Doug Olcese recorded the final two outs.
Senior shortstop Nick Butcher was 3-for-4 and hit a double and solo homer. Sophomore reliever Nick Jones (3-0) gave up a hit and unearned run, walking one and striking out one in 3.0 innings of work.
The Pioneers will face Ripon Wednesday, March 14, at 1:45 p.m.
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