WAYNE, N.J. – For a second straight day, graduate student first baseman Carson Weis delivered a walk-off hit, this time for a 7-6 William Paterson (10-5) 13-inning baseball victory March 24 against visiting Manhattanville (5-5).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A pair of two-out singles and an error allowed the Valiants to touch home once during their first at-bat.
• WP matched that run during the home half of the first inning. Graduate student second baseman Colin Lombardo was hit by a leadoff pitch and stole second, moved to third on a Dan Carter groundout to the right side and trotted home when Weis singled to left.
• Manhattanville regained the lead in the third with a double, walk, double steal and RBI-groundout for a 2-1 score.
• The Valiants stretch it to a 5-1 advantage in the fifth after a pair of base hits, double, sac fly and RBI-single.
• Junior center fielder Jake Lutz sent a two-out pitch to left, stole second and scored when Carter doubled to left, cutting the lead to 5-2 after five innings.
• Graduate student designated hitter Steve Yelin drew a walk to open the home half of the sixth, advanced to second on a Tyler Ruban groundout, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored thanks to a ground ball from junior pinch hitter Noah Cabassa to make it a 5-3 game.
• WP tied it up in the seventh. Lombardo and Lutz started the frame with back-to-back doubles to plate one run, and a wild pitch and balk forced across the game-tying score, 5-5.
• Manhattanville regained the lead in the ninth, 6-5, with a base hit, wild pitch, groundout and RBI-single.
• The Pioneers had an answer during their next at-bat. Lombardo reached on a leadoff error, and after Lutz sacrificed him to second, Carter's soft ground ball between first and second was fielded by the first baseman, but Carter beat the throw to the bag that got away from the covering pitcher. That allowed Lombardo to score the tying run, 6-6.
• Weis helped keep it a tied score in the top of the 10^th when, with a runner on third and one out, he caught a trailing foul ball, turned and fired a strike to the plate. Senior Dan Castaneda finished the threat with a full-count strikeout.
• Controversy erupted in the bottom of the 12^th inning. A Yelin walk and double inside the right-field line by sophomore third baseman Tom Radigan led to an intentional walk issued to Cabassa, loading the bases with one out. A popup to left was too shallow to score the runner at third, bringing sophomore catcher Austin Jack to the plate. He was hit by a curve ball, forcing across the game-winning run and setting off a celebration by the Pioneers. However, after the Valiants protested, the umpires ruled Jack out for not doing enough to avoid the errant pitch, ending the inning with the teams still deadlocked at 6-6.
• After a third consecutive three up, three down inning for Manhattanville, Lombardo started the home half of the 13^th with a single to left field. The failed pickoff throw sailed into foul territory, and Lombardo scampered to third. The Valiants elected to intentionally walk Lutz and junior right fielder Elliott Hayward, and pulled the infielders and outfielders in with zero outs. Weis still managed to find the hole on the left side, plating Lombardo to finally end the game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• A day after lifting WP to a 6-5 win against Keystone with his walkoff home run, Weis provided the game winner again, finishing 4-for-7 with two RBI.
• Lutz went 3-for-5 while adding a double, RBI and two runs scored, Lombardo posted four runs and two hits, including a double, and Carter was 2-for-5 with a double and RBI.
• Graduate student Matt Lawler allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks, striking out two in 4.2 innings of action.
• Sophomore Matt Lemieux worked 3.2 innings and gave up a run, a hit and two walks while posting three strikeouts.
• Castaneda wasn't charged with a run during his 4.2 innings of relief, scattering a hit and walk with one punchout (1-1).

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will start conference play Saturday, April 1, with a doubleheader at No. 11 Rowan. First pitch will be at 11:30 a.m.

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