EWING, N.J. – Sixth-seeded William Paterson (15-20-2, 8-10 NJAC) suffered an 18-6 loss at top-seeded and 18th-ranked The College of New Jersey (28-10, 15-3 NJAC) in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament May 2.
The Pioneers will play second-seeded Ramapo (22-15, 15-3 NJAC) in an elimination game Friday, May 5, at 12:00 p.m. at Kean. Kean will host the remainder of the double-elimination tourney Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7.
A double, single, RBI-fielder's choice, pair of walks and two-run base hit allowed the Lions to jump out to a 3-0 first-inning advantage. A triple and sacrifice fly pushed it to a 4-0 margin in the second.
The Pioneers started the top of the third inning with bases on balls issued to freshman shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) and freshman second baseman Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst), and a single by junior center fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) and a wild pitch allowed WP to push one run across for a 4-1 score.
TCNJ seized control with an eight-run home half of the fourth, taking advantage of six hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a pair of William Paterson errors for a 12-1 advantage.
WP fought back for five runs during the top of the fifth inning. Ferrara was hit by a pitch and Dorio walked before Hoagland came up with an RBI-double. After a strikeout, junior catcher Jorge Solodkin (Short Hills, N.J./Millburn) and sophomore left fielder Jon Bernotas (Andover, N.J./Newton) were issued bases on balls to force in a run, and a flyout led to a two-run double by freshman right fielder Eric Breun (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) and an RBI-single by junior first baseman Bernard Brito (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn) for a 12-6 game.
The Lions scored two runs apiece during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to finish the scoring.
Breun went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI, and Hoagland finished 2-for-4 while adding a double, RBI and run scored.
Junior Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) gave up three runs, four hits and two walks while striking out one over 0.2 inning (3-2). Freshman Zach Polzer (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) allowed two hits, one run and a walk during 2.1 innings of work, while sophomore Corey Martinez (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) surrendered six runs (three earned) off three hits and two walks in 0.1 inning. Sophomore Jeff Lombardi (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) tossed 3.2 innings and gave up eight hits, six runs (four earned) and one walk while striking out four, and freshman Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) allowed two runs on three hits while striking out one over 1.0 inning on the mound.
Freshman center fielder Thomas Persichetti was 6-for-6 with three doubles, a triple, four RBI and four runs scored for TCNJ. Sophomore reliever Zac DeRocco picked up the win with 2.2 innings of one-run ball, giving up two hits and a walk (2-1).
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