MADISON, N.J. – A single run during its last at-bat lifted the William Paterson baseball team (1-0-1) to a 7-6 victory at Drew (2-1) Feb. 28. The game was stopped after eight innings due to darkness.
A single, fielder's choice, stolen base and walk gave the Rangers runners on first and second with two outs during the bottom of the third inning, and a base hit to center field by senior first baseman Tommy Broyles and a Pioneer error allowed Drew to take a 1-0 lead. Senior center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) had a hard time getting a handle on the ball, the first error since the 2015 season finale (135 putouts, five assists) for the selection to the 2016 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Gold Glove Team.
WP answered with a single score in the top of the fourth when junior right fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) led off with a double to right center, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and crossed the plate three batters later when senior catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) put down a squeeze bunt.
The Pioneers built a 5-1 fifth-inning lead. Junior shortstop Rob Eggert (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) singled up the middle and was sacrificed to second by freshman second baseman Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus). An error allowed Abate to get to second base and Eggert to score, followed by a base hit to right by senior left fielder Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) and a walk for Hoagland. A bases-loaded wild pitch plated Abate, and senior first baseman Eriq Colón (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) doubled in Rowe and Hoagland.
A pair of base hits and a walk loaded the bags with one out in the home half of the fifth. Broyles lifted a sacrifice fly, senior catcher Mike Miraglia hit an RBI-single to center, and a base on balls and two-run single from sophomore left fielder Jayson Mitch leveled the score at 5-5.
Abate opened the top of the seventh inning with a triple to right field, and he later scored thanks to a Hoagland fielder's choice to nudge WP ahead by a 6-5 count.
A Miraglia hit by pitch, sacrifice bunt and Pioneer error allowed the Rangers to forge a 6-6 tie during the bottom of the seventh.
Knauf led off the top of the eighth with a base hit to left field and was lifted for pinch runner Garett Wiedemann (Paramus, N.J./Paramus). A wild pitch moved him into scoring position, and Eggert sent him home with a double to right.
Knauf was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Eggert finished 2-for-4 while posting a double, RBI and run scored. Colón hit a two-run double, and Abate and Hoagland each scored twice.
Junior Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) tossed the first 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks, striking out one. Junior Steve Duda (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) surrendered a hit and a walk in 0.1 inning, and sophomore Jeff Lombardi (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) struck out one and walked one while being charged with one unearned run during 1.0 inning of work. Sophomore Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) earned the victory (1-0) with 2.0 innings of hitless, shutout relief while notching two strikeouts and one walk.
Broyles went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI for Drew. Senior Ryan Fitzpatrick started on the mound, giving up five hits and five runs (three earned) with three strikeouts and two walks in 4.1 innings. Freshman Pete Violante took the loss (1-1) after 3.0 innings of two-run, three-hit relief while posting four punchouts and one walk. Junior Paul Roth tossed the final 0.2 scoreless inning, striking out one.
William Paterson will take on Baruch Thursday, March 2, at 3:30 p.m. at MCU Park in Brooklyn.
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