UNION, N.J. – Sixth-seeded William Paterson (21-18) pulled off a 5-3 upset victory at top-seeded Kean (24-15) in the first round of the double-elimination New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament May 3.

WP will play at fourth-seeded Rowan (23-17) in the second round Thursday, May 5, at 3:30 p.m. The Profs lost at third-seeded Ramapo (30-9-1), 5-2, in the first round May 3.

The Pioneers struck first with a single run during the top of the fourth inning. Junior center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) led off with a single through the left side of the infield, but was out at second on a fielder's choice bunt off the bat of senior third baseman Victor Sanchez (Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland). Graduate student shortstop K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) then followed with a double drilled off the wall in the left-center gap, allowing Sanchez to score all the way from first base.

Three consecutive base hits by Kean tied the game during the home half of the fourth, and an error and Ryan Reitmeyer sacrifice fly made it a 2-1 Cougar advantage by the end of the inning.

Junior designated hitter Eriq Colon (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) opened the top of the fifth with a base hit to left and freshman first baseman Garret Wiedemann (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) singled to right center before a sacrifice attempt by sophomore second baseman Rob Eggert (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) resulted in an out at third base. Abate's base hit down the third-base line loaded the bags, and an error off the bat of Sanchez allowed Wiedemann to cross the plate and tie the score. Abel then doubled again to left-center field, driving across Eggert and pinch runner Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) for a 4-2 Pioneer advantage.

Double plays by the WP defense helped to keep Kean off the scoreboard during the sixth and seventh innings, and in the bottom of the eighth, senior pitcher Mitch D'Amato (Edison, N.J./Edison) recorded his only strikeout of the game and fielded a comebacker to help keep it a two-run margin.

Sophomore right fielder Anthony Hoagland(Dumont, N.J./Dumont) sent a single into right field to lead off the top of the ninth inning and was lifted for senior pinch runner Jordan Aughey (Wanaque, N.J./Lakeland Regional), who was sacrificed to second by Colon. Wiedemann then ripped a line drive up the middle to plate Aughey and add an insurance run, 5-2.

Junior second baseman Tyler Heisch started the bottom of the ninth with a bloop single down the right-field line, and a ground ball up the middle by pinch hitter Andrew DiFrancesco hit the mound and bounced straight up, a potential double-play ball that was instead a base hit that brought the potential tying run to the plate. Sophomore closer Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) entered and freshman center fielder Shayne Fontana promptly hit a line drive deep to right field that Aughey tracked down to make an over-the-shoulder catch, the first out of the inning that allowed Heisch to tag up and advance to third base. Graduate student left fielder Matt Meleo's sacrifice fly to left pulled Kean to within two, 5-3, but a groundball from senior right fielder Ryan Kelley was fielded by Eggert, who flipped to Abel at second for the final out of the contest.

Abel was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBI. Wiedemann finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, while Colon and Abate added a pair of hits.

D'Amato pitched into the ninth inning, finishing with a line of three runs allowed on 14 hits, zero walks and one strikeout (7-2). Kopko picked up his seventh save of the season by pitching a hitless 1.0 inning of relief.

Senior third baseman Andy Lopez was 3-for-4 with an RBI for Kean, while Meleo went 2-for-4 and drove in a run. Senior Chris Amato pitched a complete game, giving up five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and one walk while striking out two (5-3).

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