WAYNE, N.J. – Graduate student Dan Carter logged a three-hit performance and broke the William Paterson baseball program record for career hits during a 21-7 road New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victory for the Pioneers (17-9, 5-3 NJAC) over Rutgers-Newark (19-9, 3-5 NJAC) April 14.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead with a five-run first frame. Senior Steve Yelin belted a one-out triple to right center and Carter made his way to first after being hit by a pitch before they both came in to score on a two-RBI three-bagger by junior Jake Lutz.
• A base on balls and another hit batsman loaded the bases for the Pioneers. Lutz scampered home on a wild pitch and sophomore Christian Hay drove in a pair on a two-RBI base hit that gave the Pioneers a 5-0 advantage.
• William Paterson added a pair of runs in the fourth after Yelin doubled to left center and scored on an RBI single by Carter. Carter later crossed home on an RBI base hit by sophomore Tyler Ruban that extended the Pioneer lead to seven (7-0).
• The Scarlet Raiders trimmed the deficit back to five (7-2) with a pair of runs on three hits in the bottom half of the fourth.
• The Pioneers got one run back in the fifth once graduate student Steven DiGirolamo singled to right and stole second and third before scoring on an RBI groundout by graduate student Colin Lombardo.
• Rutgers-Newark responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within three (8-5).
• William Paterson came up in the sixth and broke the game open by plating six runs. Carter led off the frame with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lutz. The ensuing four batters all drew a base on balls, allowing another run to score and setting up Yelin for a grand slam that pushed the lead to nine (14-5).
• Following a pitching change for the Scarlet Raiders, graduate student Carson Weis walked and worked his way over to second on a passed ball before coming in to score on a Carter RBI single.
• In the seventh, William Paterson had runners on the corners with no outs when sophomore Austin Jack tallied a two-RBI pinch-hit triple. After Lombardo walked, Yelin drove in one run on an RBI double. Lombardo then came in to score on a wild pitch before Yelin came home on an RBI base hit by Weis.
• The Pioneers tacked on one additional run in the frame on a sacrifice fly by Ruban that made it a 21-5 game.
• Rutgers-Newark scored twice in the bottom of the eighth, but the Pioneers warded off any further damage and secured the 21-7 conference road victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Yelin batted 5-for-6 with three doubles, a home run, five RBI and four runs scored.
• The five hits were a single-game career-best for Yelin. 
• Carter recorded three hits, including a triple, with two RBI and three runs scored.
• Ruban batted 1-for-3 with three runs, two RBI and a pair of walks.
• Sophomore Ruven Pino crossed home three times and logged one hit.
• Ten Pioneers recorded at least one hit.
• The 21 runs were a season-best mark for the Pioneers and their first 20-run game since May 8, 2022 when they scored 20 against No. 25 Montclair State in the NJAC Tournament.
• It marked the highest run output by William Paterson in a game since defeating The College of New Jersey, 28-7, April 8, 2022.
• The 40 runs scored in back-to-back games against Rutgers-Newark are the most runs scored in two consecutive outings for the Pioneers since the 2012 season when William Paterson combined to plate 46 runs in wins against Manhattanville (March 27) and John Jay (March 28).

 
UP NEXT:

• The Pioneers return to action Saturday, April 15, at Jeff Albies Field for a NJAC doubleheader against Stockton with first pitch scheduled for 11:30 a.m.