MONTCLAIR, N.J. – No. 23 William Paterson (21-6, 12-4 NJAC) regained sole possession of second place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) baseball standings with a 21-10 triumph at Montclair State (19-6, 11-5 NJAC) April 30.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After a scoreless first inning, the Pioneers hung six on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Junior right fielder Steve Yelin started the frame with a walk, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third via a flyout. After senior first baseman Carson Weis was issued a base on balls, junior second baseman Colin Lombardo delivered the first run with an RBI-single to center field, followed by a Chris Liriano walk to load the bases. Senior left fielder Frankie Deane sent a two-run double to right field and senior center fielder Steven DiGirolamo hit a two-run single to right, followed by a run-scoring double to right by senior catcher Dylan Habeeb, making it a 6-0 game.
- The Red Hawks got two runs back during the bottom half of the same inning with three base hits and a pair of errors.
- A leadoff double, wild pitch and single made it a 6-3 game after three frames.
- WP scored four two-out runs in the fourth, combining a DiGirolamo base hit to left, a walk issued to senior shortstop Matt Ferrara, a Habeeb two-run triple to center, a Yelin RBI-single, stolen base and error, and a run-scoring base hit into center field by junior designated hitter Dan Carter, pushing the lead to 10-3.
- Two walks, a pair of wild pitches and a sac fly resulted in one MSU run during the home half of the fourth inning.
- The Pioneers tacked on five more in the fifth. WP opened the inning with a Liriano walk and bunt singles by Deane and DiGirolamo to load the bases for Ferrara, who sent a two-run single to right center. Habeeb then drilled a three-run homer over the right-field fence for a 15-4 advantage.
- A three-run Red Hawk home run cut the lead to 15-7 after seven innings.
- Base hits by Lombardo, Deane, DiGirolamo, Ferrara and Yelin plated three Pioneer runs during the top half of the eighth.
- Montclair State used a double and triple for one run in the home half of the eighth, making it an 18-8 margin.
- Lombardo lined a solo homer down the right-field line with one out in the ninth, and Liriano and Deane bases on balls led to a DiGirolamo RBI-double and a Ferrara run-scoring single for a 21-8 score.
- MSU strung together a double, two singles and a fielder's choice to add two final runs during its last at-bat.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Habeeb was a single short of the cycle, finishing 3-for-7 with a double, triple, homer, six RBI and two runs scored.
- DiGirolamo went 5-for-7 while adding a double, four RBI and four runs, and Ferrara was 3-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored. Yelin finished 4-for-6 while contributing two RBI and a pair of runs, Lombardo went 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and three runs, and Deane was 3-for-5 while adding a double, two RBI and four runs scored.
- Sophomore Darmany Rivas improved to 6-0 after allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits, walking five and striking out six during 5.0 innings of action.
- Senior Jason Rivera tossed the final 4.0 innings for the save, giving up 10 hits and six runs.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson will celebrate Senior Day and the end of the regular season when the Pioneers host Stockton Saturday, May 1, for a doubleheader at 11:30 a.m.
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