AUBURNDALE, FLA. – Freshman right fielder Dan Carter belted a pair of doubles and junior Jeff Lombardi, Jr. tossed 6.1 solid innings as the William Paterson baseball team (6-5) scored a 3-2 victory against Ripon (0-6) March 14 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
A Carter double, Greg Cuevas groundout and wild pitch handed the Pioneers a 1-0 edge during the top of the third inning.
WP doubled its advantage in the fifth when Carter hit a two-out single, moved to second on an error and crossed the plate thanks to a Cuevas base hit.
Sophomore designated hitter Eric Breun opened the sixth with a single, was sacrificed to second by sophomore second baseman Matt Ferrara, and went to third after a Carlos Perez base hit. Freshman pinch hitter Francis Deane then delivered an RBI-single for a 3-0 lead.
A base hit, two-out error and single allowed Ripon to score a pair of unearned runs in the home half of the seventh.
Carter finished 4-for-5, including two doubles, and scored a pair of runs. Cuevas went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and Perez was 2-for-4.
Lombardi (1-0) scattered five hits over 6.1 innings, giving up one unearned run while striking out four and walking four. Sophomore Zac Polzer was charged with an unearned run and two hits while striking out one in 1.2 innings on the bump. Junior Jack Benson and Doug Olcese combined to strike out the side in the ninth, with Olcese picking up the save.
Junior second baseman Nick Taranto went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI for the Red Hawks. Junior Brice Swick (0-1) pitched the complete game, allowing three runs (two earned), 12 hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
The Pioneers will play a seven-inning doubleheader against Bowdoin Friday, March 16, at 5:30 p.m.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit http://www.wpupioneers.com and http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.