UNION, N.J. – Sixth-seeded William Paterson (21-20) saw its late-game rally fall short, suffering an 8-6 loss against fifth-seeded Montclair State (22-19) in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament elimination game May 7 at Kean University.
The Red Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 second-inning lead thanks to a pair of singles, double play, error and two-run Philip Scott double.
Montclair State added four more in the fifth. Senior third baseman Kevin Alonso singled through the left side, and after a strikeout and error, junior designated hitter Matt Long had an RBI-single through the right side of the infield and sophomore second baseman Joe Foote tripled in a pair of runs. A popup and walk led to a Kevin Campbell fielder's choice that plated a run and made it a 6-0 margin.
Senior Justin Ferreira (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) opened the home half of the fifth with a double to right center, and groundouts by senior third baseman Victor Sanchez (Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) and senior center fielder Jordan Aughey (Wanaque, N.J./Lakeland Regional) scored the Pioneers' first run of the day. Graduate student shortstop K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) then drilled a pitch to deep left-center field, a solo homer to pull WP to within four, 6-2.
MSU added a single run during the sixth, taking advantage of a Foote RBI-single to right center.
The Pioneers loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the sixth on a Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) base hit through the left side, Anthony Hoagland(Dumont, N.J./Dumont) walk and Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) hit by pitch. Ferreira's one-out ground ball pushed across Knauf and made it a 7-3 contest.
An Alonso run-scoring single through the right side of the infield extended the Red Hawks' advantage to 8-3 during the top of the seventh inning.
Hoagland opened the home half of the eighth with a base on balls, Rowe blooped a single into shallow left field and freshman first baseman Garret Wiedemann (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) added an RBI-single to center. Sanchez cut the deficit to two with his two-run single up the middle.
WP had the go-ahead run at the plate during its last at-bat. Knauf singled through the right side to start the bottom of the ninth inning and was replaced by sophomore pinch runner Jacob Bailey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North). Hoagland added a base hit through the right side, and Rowe sacrificed to put runners on second and third with one out. However, two strikeouts ended the Pioneers' hopes of forcing extra innings.
Knauf finished 4-for-5 with a run scored, and Hoagland was 2-for-3 and crossed the plate once.
Sophomore starter Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) gave up six runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out three in 4.1 innings (1-2). Classmate Steve Duda (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) allowed one hit and one unearned run with two walks and a strikeout in 1.2 innings, while freshman Chris Phillips (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) surrendered one run on two hits and a pair of walks while posting one strikeout in 0.2 inning. Rookie Chase Strynkowski (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) gave up a hit during the final 2.1 innings, registering a strikeout.
Foote was 4-for-5 with a triple, three RBI and a run scored for MSU. Sophomore starter Austin Minton earned the win (4-3) with 7.0 innings of three-run ball, allowing six hits and two walks while striking out four. Classmate Taylor Parsons picked up his sixth save with 1.2 scoreless innings of relief, scattering three hits while striking out three.
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