WAYNE, N.J. – Sophomore left hander Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) went the distance and the Pioneer bats came alive late as the William Paterson baseball team (9-9-2, 2-1 NJAC) defeated Rt. 46 rival Montclair State (7-12, 1-2 NJAC), 7-1, April 7.
The Red Hawks broke through for an unearned run during the top of the fifth inning when senior right fielder Ryan Long was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and scored when junior designated hitter Joe Foote lifted a sacrifice fly to right.
The Pioneers took their first lead with a two-run sixth. Senior first baseman Eriq Colón (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) sent a double down the left-field line before being sacrificed to third by senior catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan). Freshman center fielder Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) drilled a triple to right-center field to tie the score, and a base hit up the middle by junior third baseman Bernard Brito (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn) handed WP a 2-1 edge.
WP struck again in the bottom of the seventh inning, widening its lead to 3-1. Senior designated hitter Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior left fielder Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) and reached third when Montclair State first baseman Kyle Missry mishandled a ground ball off the bat of junior right fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont). Knauf then provided an RBI-single through the left side, knocking in Abate.
Four more runs made it a 7-1 game during the home half of the eighth. Brito reached on a strike-three wild pitch and freshman second baseman Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) was issued a base on balls before a two-out error loaded the bags. Hoagland's single up the middle plated a pair of runs and Colón's ground ball through the right side added two more for the Pioneers.
Colón was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a pair of RBI and a run scored to lead WP at the plate. Knauf and Perez each contributed two hits and one RBI.
Babb threw 66 of his 113 pitches for strikes, finishing with a line of three hits, one unearned run, four walks and four strikeouts (3-3).
Three different Red Hawks had hits. Junior Michael Manfra struck out seven batters in 6.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and three walks (1-3). Classmate Anthony DeBlasio gave up one hit, a walk and one unearned run during 1.0 inning of work, while sophomore Max Maarleveld surrendered four unearned runs off two hits with one strikeout and a walk in 1.0 inning.
William Paterson will host New Jersey City for a twin bill Saturday, April 8, at 11:30 a.m.
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