April 27, 2019

William Paterson Locks Up NJAC Tournament Bid with 5-2, 16-5 Sweep at Stockton

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GALLOWAY, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (24-13, 9-8 NJAC) secured a spot in the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament thanks to a 5-2, 16-5 sweep at Stockton (13-18, 3-14 NJAC) April 27.

 

With one regular-season game remaining for the Pioneers, WP stands fifth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) standings. Conference play will conclude Monday, April 29, and the top six teams will qualify for the double-elimination NJAC Tournament that begins Tuesday, April 30.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Game One

  • A two-out infield single by sophomore right fielder Danny Carter and a double to left center by senior designated hitter Shane Adams handed WP a 1-0 fourth-inning edge.
  • The Pioneers gave themselves some breathing room with a three-run eighth. Sophomore first baseman Carson Weis opened the frame with a bunt single, then a balk, foulout and Carter base hit left runners on the corners. Junior pinch hitter Vin Dorio put down the squeeze bunt for an RBI-single before junior third baseman Carlos Perez struck out, but the third strike wasn't caught and the throw to first was offline, allowing Carter to score. Sophomore shortstop Greg Cuevas then singled in Dorio for a 4-0 advantage.
  • The Ospreys used a walk and double to cross the plate once during the home half of the eighth.
  • Sophomore center fielder Steven DiGirolamo led off the ninth with a base hit to right field, and after two wild pitches, touched home on a Weis sacrifice fly for a 5-1 lead.
  • A Stockton double and a later WP error cut the advantage to 5-2 with one out in the ninth, but junior Jack DeFouw struck out the next two batters to finish off the victory.

Game Two

  • WP seized a 3-0 advantage during the top of the second inning, using base hits from Perez and junior designated hitter Mike Grasso, a Cuevas RBI-groundout, DiGirolamo run-scoring double and Matt Ferrara RBI-single.
  • A hit by pitch and double put Stockton on the scoreboard in the third, 3-1, and the Ospreys used three hits and a walk for a three-run fifth, and an RBI-single in the sixth, for a 5-3 edge.
  • The Pioneers answered by crossing the plate five times during the top of the seventh inning. Carter opened the frame with a home run, and after a flyout and error, Cuevas doubled to right. A Dorio single and error knotted the score at 5-5, DiGirolamo singled up the middle to plate two runners, and another error made it an 8-5 margin.
  • Singles by Perez and Grasso, a run-scoring error and a Dorio infield RBI-single pushed William Paterson's lead to 10-5 in the eighth.
  • WP added six more in the ninth thanks to run-scoring singles from Carter, Grasso, Cuevas, Dorio and Ferrara.

 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Game One

  • Carter went 3-for-4 and scored twice, and Weis was 2-for-4 while driving in a run and scoring once. DiGirolamo added a 2-for-5 effort and a run scored.
  • Senior Eric Rosenberg went into the eighth, finishing with a line of 7.0 innings, one run, four hits, two walks and a career-best nine strikeouts (6-2). DeFouw picked up his second save of the season with 2.0 innings of one-hit ball, allowing one unearned run while striking out three.

Game Two

  • DiGirolamo finished 5-for-7 while tallying a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Carter was 4-for-6 while adding a homer, two RBI and a pair of runs scored, Dorio went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, and Grasso and Perez each had three hits.
  • Freshman Matt Lawler earned the win with 4.1 innings of relief, giving up one unearned run, four hits and a walk while posting two strikeouts (3-0).

 

UP NEXT:

  • William Paterson finishes its regular season with a single game at Montclair State Sunday, April 28, at 12:00 p.m.

 

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