WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (15-19-2, 8-10 NJAC) fought its way into the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament with an 8-6, 4-3 Senior Day sweep of Rowan (26-14, 10-8 NJAC) April 29.
Sixth-seeded WP will play at top-seeded and 16th-ranked The College of New Jersey (27-10, 15-2) in the first round Tuesday, May 2, at 3:30 p.m. Kean will host the remainder of the double-elimination tourney Friday-Sunday, May 5-7.
Game One
Two runs during the home half of the eighth gave the Pioneers the edge in a back-and-forth opener, 8-6.
WP crossed the plate first as senior catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) walked, senior left fielder Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) singled through the right side and freshman third baseman Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) doubled to right for a 1-0 game after two innings.
The Profs evened the score during the top of the third, thanks to a leadoff base on balls, balk, single and run-scoring ground-ball double play.
William Paterson answered in the bottom of the third when junior center fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) dropped a two-out base hit into left center and senior first baseman Eriq Colón (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) followed with an RBI-double that split the gap in left-center field, making it a 2-1 margin.
Rowan struck for two fourth-inning scores via a two-run triple by sophomore shortstop Matt Edwards, pushing the Profs ahead by a 3-2 count.
WP again leveled the score, this time at 3-3 in the home half off the fourth with a Perez fielder's choice and stolen base, a groundout by freshman right fielder Eric Breun (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) and a double inside the left-field line by junior second baseman Bernard Brito (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn).
The Profs jumped ahead by a 6-3 count during the top of the fifth inning, helped in large part by three Pioneer errors as well as a base on balls and a single.
Back-to-back walks for Rowe and Perez started the bottom of the sixth, and an error on a sacrifice attempt allowed Rowe to touch home. Brito then plated Perez with a groundout and the Pioneers trailed, 6-5.
William Paterson tied the score during the home half of the seventh. Hoagland opened the frame with a double to left center and Colón singled through the right side before Knauf put down a bunt that was thrown home, but not in time to beat a streaking Hoagland.
The Pioneers went ahead for good in the eighth. An error put the leadoff hitter, freshman shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus), aboard and freshman designated hitter Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) sacrificed him to second. Hoagland sent a ground ball through the right side of the infield and Colón walked to load the bases. Knauf singled in Ferrara, and Rowe lifted a fly ball to the warning track in center for a sac fly, pushing WP ahead by an 8-6 count.
Hoagland was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored, while Colón and Rowe each contributed a pair of hits. Knauf and Brito tallied two RBI apiece.
Sophomore Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) covered the first 5.0 innings, giving up six runs (three earned), five hits and four walks while striking out two. Junior Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) earned the victory with 3.1 scoreless innings, scattering three hits while posting one strikeout (3-1). Senior Frank Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) earned his seventh save by recording the final two outs, one on strikes.
Edwards was 1-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored for Rowan. Senior reliever Rob Grilli suffered the loss with two runs (one earned), two hits and one walk allowed in 1.2 innings with two strikeouts.
Game Two
The Pioneers rallied for four unanswered runs and a 4-3 closing victory.
Three base hits allowed Rowan to post one run in the top of the second, and a walk, sacrifice, balk and single made it a 2-0 score in the sixth.
The Profs extended their lead to 3-0 during the top of the seventh inning, thanks to a hit by pitch, groundout and Alex Kokos base hit to right field.
WP got two runs back during the bottom half of the seventh. Junior catcher Jorge Solodkin (Short Hills, N.J./Millburn) deposited a base hit into right, Hoagland singled to right center and Colón drove in both runners with a double to left-center field.
Breun started the home half of the eighth by reaching first thanks to an error, but Brito's bunt was thrown to second to get the lead runner. Ferrara doubled down the left-field line, and the mishandled ball in the corner was enough to allow Brito to score from third base and tie the game at 3-3. Another error, this one off a batted ball from Solodkin, plated Ferrara for the go-ahead run.
Colasante entered for the top of the ninth and sat down the Profs in order, two by strikeout, for his second save of the day and eighth save of the season.
Colón finished 1-for-3 with a two-run double, while Ferrara was 2-for-4, hit a double and scored a run.
Junior starter Adam Miller (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) allowed three runs, nine hits and two walks, striking out one during the first 6.2 innings. Junior Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) retired all four batters he faced (3-4) before Colasante entered to close out the win.
Sophomore third baseman Dillon Mendel went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs for Rowan. Sophomore Eric Shugars went 7.2 innings and gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits while registering one strikeout (3-4).
Prior to the game, WP honored seniors Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills), Colasante, Colón, Knauf, Rowe and Mike Sasso (West Orange, N.J./Montclair Kimberley).
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