AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Dante DiMatteo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) struck out 10 and the offense racked up 12 more runs as the Washington & Jefferson College baseball team rolled to a 12-2 win over William Paterson in action Thursday at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
The win improves the Presidents to 5-7 while the Pioneers fall to 5-10 with the loss.
W&J finished with seven extra base hits in the win over William Paterson. The Presidents smacked six doubles and had a home run en route to the victory.
DiMatteo worked five innings to record his first win of 2024. DiMatteo allowed two runs on three hits. The junior right hander struck out 10 Pioneers, seven of which were called out on strikes.
W&J picked up two runs in the bottom of the first to gain the early lead. The Red and Black took advantage of two Pioneer errors during the frame. Josh Dezenzo (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) provided a run-scoring double to highlight the inning.
The Presidents tacked on a run in the third when Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) was hit by a pitch then immediately stole second base. After moving to third on a groundout, LaDuca eventually scored on a first and third rundown play.
Following a William Paterson run in the top of the fourth, W&J put up three runs in the bottom half. All the damage came with two outs, as W&J had runners reach on an error and walk. An RBI double by Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) scored a fourth W&J run. Two more runners came home in the frame, as a pair of wild pitches aided the efforts as the lead extended to 6-1.
William Paterson got a run back in the top of the fifth, but DiMatteo was able to escape without further damage, allowing W&J to retain a comfortable lead. Scout Zaas (Powell, Ohio/Wellington School) led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run.
LaDuca finished with three hits and three runs scored. Lutz notched two hits, two runs scored and three RBI. Zaas and Stern also registered multi-hit games for the Presidents. Zaas tallied two runs, two hits and two RBI. Stern added two hits and two runs out of the nine spot.
W&J scored twice in the sixth. Consecutive singles by Stern and LaDuca set the table for a two-run double by Nolan Lutz (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) to extend the lead to 9-2.
The Presidents ended the game early with three runs in the eighth. Doubles by LaDuca and Brody Bartenstein (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) made it 10-2. Lutz and Zaas both tacked on run-scoring hits to inflict the mercy rule.
W&J got three scoreless frames from its bullpen to back DiMatteo's outing. Jake Stiehl (Reston, Va./South Lakes) struck out a pair and did not allow a hit or run in two innings of relief. Jackson Cromwell (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) worked a scoreless eighth inning.
The Presidents' pitching staff retired the side in order in four of the eight innings Thursday.
W&J is scheduled to complete their Spring Break trip Friday, March 22. The Presidents are set to face SUNY-Cobleskill in a single-nine inning game at Northeast Regional Park with a 12:45 PM first pitch.