WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (6-1) struck for a total of 28 runs during just 12 at-bats, sweeping a seven-inning doubleheader from visiting Keene State (0-5), 18-2 and 10-6, March 8.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Pioneers batted around during the home half of the first to produce a 4-0 lead. A four-pitch leadoff walk to junior center fielder Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) and a double to right by junior first baseman Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) made it a 1-0 score, then a flyout and wild pitch led to a ground ball to short from junior Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield). The throw to the plate was late and wide, allowing Carter to land at second base with an RBI-fielder's choice. A Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) walk and an Adrian Alarcon (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) single loaded the bases, followed by a wild pitch and a run-scoring single through the left side by senior second baseman Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) for a 4-0 advantage.
- WP ran through its lineup again during the second inning, adding four more runs to its total. DiGirolamo started the frame with a single through the right side, and took second base on a late throw back in. Weis reached via an error, junior designated hitter Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) singled in DiGirolamo, and a wild pitch and walk loaded the bags. Alarcon plated a run with his base hit into center field, Ferrara had an RBI-hit by pitch, and a wild pitch pushed it to an 8-0 margin.
- Seven more runners crossed home in the fourth, thanks to RBI-walks from junior shortstop Tyler Kulish, DiGirolamo and senior pinch hitter Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst), a run-scoring hit by pitch for Carter, and RBI-singles by Ferrara, freshman third baseman David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) and junior left fielder Frankie Deane (Dumont, N.J./Dumont).
- The Owls got on the scoreboard during the top of the fifth inning with a two-out run-scoring single.
- Senior pinch hitter Mike Grasso (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) opened the home half of the sixth with a shot over the left-field fence, his first home run as a Pioneer. Ferrara's fielder's choice and a bases-loaded error pushed the Pioneers' lead to 18-1.
- A walk and a double allowed Keene State to tack one on seventh-inning score.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Ferrara went 2-for-4 while driving in four runs, and DiGirolamo finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Alarcon registered a 2-for-2 performance that included one RBI.
- Junior Jordan Manne (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) tossed 4.0 shutout innings, giving up two hits and a pair of walks while striking out six (1-0). Freshman Chris Nelson (Boonton, N.J./Mountain Lakes) allowed one run on two hits and a walk, collecting two strikeouts in 1.0 inning. Junior Jason Rivera (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) struck out one of the three batters he faced during the top of the sixth, and Carter came in for the seventh and surrendered one hit, a run and one walk.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Weis tripled to center field and scored when a throw to the plate was dropped, handing the Pioneers a 1-0 first-inning advantage.
- William Paterson broke the game open with a five-run third. Grasso's sacrifice fly drove in Weis, Carter doubled in Yelin, sophomore second baseman Colin Lombardo's (Edison, N.J./Edison) first career home run was a two-run shot to left, and Alarcon had a run-scoring base hit to center field to send home Ferrara.
- Three hits, including a solo homer, got two runs back for Keene State in the top of the fourth. However, the Pioneers answered with four scores during the bottom half of the same frame. Back-to-back doubles by Yelin and Perez, Carter's run-scoring base hit to center field and a two-run Alarcon single to left pushed it to a 10-2 lead.
- The Owls strung together two hits and five walks to manufacture a four-run sixth.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Weis tallied three hits, including a triple, and two runs scored, while Carter was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a pair of RBI and two runs. Lombardo finished 2-for-4 while adding a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, and Alarcon went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs.
- Freshman Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona) improved to 3-0, spinning 5.0 innings and allowing two runs, six hits and a walk while striking out five. Junior Zac Polzer (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) was charged with four runs allowed, one hit, three walks and a strikeout during 0.1 inning, senior Armando Ovalles (Union City, N.J./Union City) walked two and gave up one hit in 0.1 inning, and senior Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) retired all four batters he faced, two by strikeout, for his second save of the year.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson plays host to St. Joseph's-Long Island Tuesday, March 10, starting at 3:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS: