WAYNE, N.J. – Junior center fielder Steven DiGirolamo went 5-for-5 at the plate, including three extra-base hits, and senior shortstop Matt Ferrara delivered the winning run with a ninth-inning single as the William Paterson baseball team (7-1) capped off a seven-game homestand with 7-6 triumph against St. Joseph's-Long Island (1-2) March 10.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Pioneers crossed the plate twice during their first at-bat. DiGirolamo doubled down the left-field line and advanced to third via a passed ball, while junior first baseman Carson Weis drew a walk. Junior right fielder Dan Carter sent both runners home with his ground ball that tucked just inside the third-base bag and carried down into the left-field corner, a two-run double for a 2-0 edge.
- The Golden Eagles hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning, but WP got two more runs in the home half of the same frame. Junior catcher Dylan Habeeb drilled a double to center field and DiGirolamo followed with his second career homer, clearing the fence in right center for a 4-1 lead.
- A double and a single added one run to the St. Joseph's-Long Island total during the top of the fourth.
- SJLI took its first lead of the game with four seventh-inning unearned runs, taking advantage of four hits, a sacrifice fly and two errors.
- WP leveled the score during its next opportunity. Junior designated hitter Steve Yelin started the bottom of the seventh with a ground-rule double and Carter's single to center sent him home. An Adrian Alarcon base hit into right field and senior pinch hitter Vin Dorio's bunt single loaded the bags for Ferrara, who drove in the tying run with a single to left.
- Alarcon opened the bottom of the ninth with a base hit into center field, but he was out at second after an unsuccessful sacrifice bunt attempt by junior third baseman Greg Cuevas. However, Cuevas advanced to third when the pitcher's pickoff attempt short hopped and rolled away into foul territory, putting the winning run 90 feet away. After a groundout, Ferrara delivered the clutch hit again, this one a walk-off single that tipped off the end of the second baseman's glove and into right field.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- DiGirolamo finished 5-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, a pair of RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Alarcon was 3-for-4 while scoring a run, Carter posted two hits and three RBI, and Ferrara went 2-for-5 while plating two runners.
- Sophomore Matt Lawler went 5.0 innings as the starter, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one. Freshman Elian Mendez was charged with four unearned runs, five hits and two walks, posting one strikeout during his 1.2 innings. Senior Jack DeFouw earned the win in relief with 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings of work, striking out two and walking one (1-0).
- The Pioneers received votes in this week's D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Top 25 Poll.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson heads to Long Island to play at Farmingdale State Wednesday, March 11, at 3:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS: