WAYNE, N.J. – Junior designated hitter Jimmy Kenny's (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) two-run triple during the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the William Paterson baseball team (10-2) to a 3-2 victory against visiting Staten Island (2-5) March 24.
The Pioneers put one run on the scoreboard during the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) started the frame by being hit by a pitch and advanced to second thanks to a groundout by junior left fielder Tyler Garguilo (Paramus, N.J./Paramus). An RBI-single up the middle from freshman first baseman Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) plated Abate and made it a 1-0 score.
Two walks and a series of stolen bases but runners on second and third with no one out during the top of the third, and Dolphin freshman left fielder Frank Muzzio lifted a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at 1-1.
A one-out triple to right center by junior second baseman Nick Delprete and a groundout to first by junior left fielder Frank Muzzio made it a 2-1 CSI lead in the fifth.
WP pushed back ahead during the home half of the eighth. Freshman Jacob Bailey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) led off with a pinch-hit single through the right side of the infield, and an Abate sacrifice was followed by a Garguilo base on balls. A groundout advanced the runners 90 feet, and Kenny drilled a two-out pitch to the wall in left-center field, clearing the bases and giving the Pioneers a one-run lead.
Hoagland went 2-for-4 with an RBI for WP. Junior starter Frankie Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) allowed two runs on three hits over 5.0 innings, striking out five and walking two. Senior Ryan Monaghan (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) earned the victory in relief (3-0), tossing 4.0 hitless innings with two strikeouts and a walk.
Delprete was 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Dolphins. Sophomore Ryan Kennedy gave up three hits and one run in 7.0 innings as the starter, posting a strikeout and a walk. Junior Mike Fitzpatrick took the loss (1-1) with two runs and a pair of hits allowed in 1.0 inning, issuing one walk.
William Paterson will play at Stevens Wednesday, March 25, at 3:00 p.m.
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