WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (9-14-1, 3-6-1 NJAC) suffered 2-0 and 5-1 losses against Rutgers-Camden (17-7-1, 7-3 NJAC) during a home doubleheader April 12.
Game One
Senior starter Josh Jensen (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) turned in a solid eight-inning effort on the mound, but the Pioneers' offense could not provide the run support as they dropped the opener, 2-0.
Junior first baseman Connor Hall hit a one-out single to center field and junior center fielder Bobby Romano doubled him in for a 1-0 Scarlet Raptor edge during the top of the second.
A Joe Brooks walk, wild pitch and Adrian Gonzalez RBI-single to left doubled the lead during the sixth.
Sophomore first baseman Mike Sasso (West Orange, N.J./Montclair Kimberley) went 2-for-3 for the Pioneers. Jensen (1-2) scattered six hits during his 8.0 innings, striking out eight and walking one. Senior Jake Menzo (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) struck out two of the four batters he faced in the ninth.
Six different Scarlet Raptors accounted for their six hits. Harry Sturgis pitched the complete-game shutout, striking out five while giving up three hits (3-0).
Game Two
Two first-inning scores were all the Scarlet Raptors needed to finish the doubleheader sweep, 5-1.
Rutgers-Camden struck for a pair of unearned runs during its first at-bat. Sophomore second baseman Joe Sigismondi hit a one-out single off the bag at third base, and an outfield error put runners on second and third. Back-to-back run-scoring singles by Gonzalez and Hall gave WP the early lead.
Hall began the top of the sixth inning with a double to center field, and when the Pioneers tried to turn the double play off a sacrifice bunt, the throw to third was off line, allowing Hall to make it a 3-0 margin.
The Scarlet Raptors tacked on two more in the ninth. Tenuto and Sigismondi delivered one-out base hits, and following a groundout, Gonzalez tripled to right-center field to clear the bases.
WP got onto the scoreboard during the bottom of the ninth. Freshman pinch hitter Kyle Dotey (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) and freshman catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) were issued one-out walks, followed by a wild pitch and sophomore left fielder Jimmy Kenny's (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) RBI-groundout.
Three different Pioneers recorded hits. Sophomore Frankie Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) surrendered three runs, one of them earned, and eight hits while striking out three during 6.0 innings (1-2). Junior Joe Moran (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) gave up four hits and two runs in 3.0 innings, striking out three.
Senior Ryan Martin was forced to leave after 1.2 innings due to an apparent injury, allowing three hits. Classmate Tommy Potts tossed the final 7.1 innings, improving to 5-0 with zero hits and one run allowed while striking out seven and walking three.
William Paterson will play at Alvernia Wednesday, April 16, at 3:30 p.m.
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