WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (7-1) took two from visiting No. 20 St. John Fisher (1-2) March 5, winning 5-1 in nine innings and 8-5 in seven innings.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Pioneers pushed across a single run during their first at-bat after base hits by senior catcher Steve Yelin and senior designated hitter Dan Carter, followed by an RBI-single through the right side from senior right fielder Vinnie Martin.
- WP made it a 3-0 game in the second. Senior third baseman Chris Liriano singled off the leaping shortstop's glove, he scored when senior second baseman Colin Lombardo tripled off the left-field fence, and Lombardo scampered home after a wild pitch.
- Carter reached via a one-out error during the bottom of the fifth inning, and after a Martin groundout, Carter touched home when sophomore shortstop Jake Lutz doubled to right center, pushing William Paterson's advantage to 4-0.
- Fisher broke up the shutout with a two-out walk and a pair of singles in the top of the seventh, making it a 4-1 game.
- Junior left fielder Elliott Hayward opened the home half of the eighth with a hit by pitch, freshman Ruven Pino delivered a pinch-hit infield single and Lombardo was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for graduate student first baseman Carson Weis, who drilled a ground ball up the middle to push the lead to 5-1.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lombardo was 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI and run scored. Liriano finished 2-for-3 and touched home once.
- Senior starter Riley Weis went 6.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, collecting four strikeouts (2-0).
- Junior Dan Castaneda tossed 1.1 innings of one-hit relief, collecting one strikeout. Carter pitched the ninth inning, walking one batter and striking out another.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lombardo led off the first inning with a base hit up the middle, stole second, advanced to third via a Weis groundout and scored on a two-out error, handing WP an early 1-0 edge.
- The Cardinals took their first lead of the day with a two-run third, taking advantage of a walk, bunt single, wild pitch, sacrifice fly and run-scoring base hit.
- The Pioneers answered immediately, scoring twice during their next at-bat. A Weis base on balls and Yelin fielder's choice were followed by a Martin single through the right side and a Carter RBI-single into the left-field corner, knotting the score at 2-2. Lutz then lifted a sac fly to right field, plating Martin for a 3-2 advantage.
- WP tacked on two more in the fourth with a Pino walk, a Weis double and failed rundown that allowed Pino to slide home, and a Yelin run-scoring base hit through the left side.
- SJFC's pair of base hits and two-run double made it a 5-4 score during the top half of the fifth inning.
- William Paterson gave itself some breathing room with a three-run sixth. Senior center fielder Justin Grippo was issued a leadoff walk and reached second on a throwing error by the first baseman on a subsequent fielder's choice. A double steal and errant throw scored one run, and after a Lombardo base on balls and a failed pickoff throw at first, a groundout and Yelin intentional walk loaded the bases. Martin delivered two runners with his base hit to left, pushing the Pioneers ahead by an 8-4 count.
- Two singles and a double allowed Fisher to score once during the top of the seventh inning and bring the potential tying run to the plate with two outs, but a flyout to left center sealed the victory for the Pioneers.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Martin posted two hits, a pair of RBI and a run scored. Carter went 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate, and recorded the save with 0.2 inning of one-hit, one-strikeout relief.
- Junior Ian Metzger pitched the first 5.1 innings and allowed four runs, six hits and two walks while registering one strikeout (3-0).
- Senior Matt Lawler was charged with one run and two hits allowed, striking out one during 1.0 inning of action.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson will host No. 20 St. John Fisher for a single game Sunday, March 6, at 12:00 p.m.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS: