WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The William Paterson baseball team improved to 6-1 this season with a 22-4, 7-6 seven-inning doubleheader sweep of Pitt-Greensburg (1-8) March 12 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game One
- Sophomore right fielder Danny Carter tripled in sophomore catcher Steve Yelin, and sophomore first baseman Carson Weis singled in Carter, for a 2-0 edge during the home half of the first inning.
- After the Bobcats tied the score during their next at-bat, WP answered with four second-inning scores, including RBI-singles from junior left fielder Carlos Perez, junior second baseman Matt Ferrara and Yelin.
- Senior designated hitter Shane Adams and junior third baseman Dan Abate made it an 8-2 game in the fourth with run-scoring base hits.
- Pitt-Greensburg got two runs back during the top of the fifth frame, but Carter and Weis delivered RBI-singles to push the margin to 10-4 after five.
- The Pioneers blew the game wide open by crossing the plate 12 times during the home half of the sixth. Sophomore catcher Steve Zukofsky, Carter and Ferrara led the way with two-run base hits.
Game Two
- Pitt-Greensburg struck first with a single run during the bottom of the first inning, but WP touched home three times in the third with a Perez RBI-double to left center, a Mike Grasso sacrifice fly and a Greg Cuevas run-scoring groundout.
- The Bobcats made it 3-2 game in the fourth before the Pioneers used a Christopher Liriano two-run double and a Steven DiGirolamo RBI-single to stretch their lead to 6-2 in the sixth.
- Pitt-Greensburg knotted the score at 6-6 during the home half of the same frame, taking advantage of five singles, a sacrifice bunt, walk and sac fly.
- William Paterson scored the game-winning run with a one-out error, two hit by pitches and a Grasso base hit to left field. Senior Eric Rosenberg struck out two of the four batters he faced in the seventh to preserve the win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Game One
- Carter finished 4-for-5 with a triple, five RBI and two runs scored, while Ferrara went 4-for-5 while tallying three RBI and four runs scored. Weis was 4-for-4 while driving in two runs and scoring once.
- Freshman Matt Lawler picked up his first victory (1-0), scattering four runs (two earned) and seven hits over 5.0 innings as the starter, striking out two and walking two. Sophomores Jordan Manne and Jake Kavanagh combined for 2.0 innings of shutout relief.
Game Two
- Grasso had two hits, a sac fly, a run scored and a pair of RBI, while Liriano was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
- Rosenberg (2-1) pitched the final 1.2 innings, striking out two while giving up one hit.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson will take on Salve Regina Wednesday, March 13, at 10:15 a.m.
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