WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (8-1) finished off a three-game weekend sweep of No. 20 St. John Fisher (1-3) with a 23-15 triumph March 6, earning Pioneer head coach Mike Lauterhahn his 300^th career victory in the process.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Cardinals crossed the plate six times during their first at-bat. A leadoff error and two walks were followed by a two-run double, a two-run single and a two-run homer.
• St. John Fisher added one more in the top of the second inning, thanks to a base hit and double.
• The Pioneer offense exploded for an eight-run bottom of the second, seizing an 8-7 lead. Senior right fielder Vinnie Martin singled through the right side to lead off and senior designated hitter Dan Carter drew a walk before a lineout and wild pitch. Sophomore shortstop Jake Lutz's slow roller up the third-base line resulted in a hit, and senior third baseman Chris Liriano followed with a bases-loaded walk. A Patrick Ryan fielder's choice plated Carter, and senior second baseman Colin Lombardo was hit by a pitch, again loading the bags. Graduate student first baseman Carson Weis singled through the left side to score two, and senior catcher Steve Yelin's RBI-single into left field and an error left runners on second and third. Martin tied the game with a ground-rule double to center field, and Carter gave WP the lead with a two-bagger down the left-field line.
• WP added five more in the third. Lutz was issued a leadoff base on balls and Liriano followed with a home run to left field, making it a 10-7 game. Ryan walked and stole second, Lombardo hit a chopper to third for an infield single, and Weis hit into a fielder's choice that scored Ryan. Yelin then launched a pitch over the left-field fence, a two-run homer that extended the advantage to 13-7.
• A two-run homer helped SJFC cross the plate three times in the top of the fourth, making it a 13-10 margin.
• William Paterson struck for five more runs during the home half of the fourth. Lutz walked and Liriano singled before Ryan sacrificed the pair up a base. Lombardo's single scored one run and Weis' double to right scored two more before Yelin blasted his second home run of the day, this one a two-run shot to left-center field, for an 18-10 edge.
• A grand slam highlighted a five-run sixth for the Cardinals, cutting the deficit to 18-15.
• The Pioneers added three more to their total during the bottom of the sixth inning. Weis doubled down the left-field line, Martin walked and Carter singled, loading the bases for junior left fielder Elliott Hayward, whose base hit to center scored one. Lutz followed with a single to left center, driving in two more runs to make it a 21-15 game.
• Back-to-back walks to senior center fielder Justin Grippo and Lombardo led to a two-run Weis double to shallow center field, pushing the lead to 23-15 after seven innings.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Weis went 4-for-6 with three doubles, seven RBI and four runs scored.
• Yelin finished 3-for-6, adding two homers, five RBI and three runs scored, while Liriano was 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Freshman Neel Telidevara tossed the first 1.2 innings and was charged with seven runs (six earned), five hits and two walks allowed, striking out three.
• Senior Jordan Manne earned the win in relief (1-1), spinning 1.1 innings of four-hit, three-run ball. He struck out one and walked two.
• Junior Dan Castaneda surrendered four runs, four hits and a walk in 2.0 innings of action, and senior Matt Lawler picked up his first save of the season with 4.0 innings of one-hit, one-run ball, punching out four batters.
• Lauterhahn picked up win number 300 (300-217-5) in his 15^th season as the Pioneers' skipper.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will take on No. 16 UT-Dallas Saturday, March 12, at 6:00 p.m. at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

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