LANCASTER, Pa. – The William Paterson baseball team (11-4) suffered a 5-3 walk-off loss in seven innings during the opener at Franklin and Marshall (12-4), but bounced back for a 9-1 nine-inning win during the night cap March 23.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game One
- A bases-loaded double play forced across junior shortstop Dan Abate for a 1-0 lead during the top of the third inning, and sophomore right fielder Danny Carter singled in sophomore catcher Steve Yelin for a 2-0 edge in the fourth.
- A passed ball allowed the Diplomats to get on the scoreboard during the home half of the fourth before Yelin's sacrifice fly plated sophomore center fielder Steven DiGirolamo for a 3-1 score in the fifth.
- An error, walk and single loaded the bases for Franklin and Marshall during its last at-bat, and a grand slam gave the Diplomats the walk-off win.
Game Two
- The game remained scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when WP exploded for seven runs off five hits and four errors, including a two-run Matt Ferrara double to left.
- Franklin and Marshall posted a single score in the sixth, but WP sophomore first baseman Carson Weis singled in Yelin and later scored on an Abate sac fly, making it a 9-1 margin during the top of the ninth.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Game One
- Yelin and Carter each drove in a run for the Pioneers.
- Senior Eric Rosenberg suffered the loss in relief (3-2), giving up two runs on two hits in the seventh.
Game Two
- Yelin went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored, while Ferrara was 2-for-4 with a two-run double and a run scored.
- Senior Corey Martinez improved to 3-0 this season, allowing one run on six hits and a walk over 8.0 innings, striking out seven. Sophomore Jordan Manne tossed 1.0 shutout inning with a strikeout and a walk.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson will host Staten Island Tuesday, March 26, at 3:30 p.m.
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