WAYNE, N.J. – After falling behind 5-0 during the top of the first inning, the William Paterson baseball team (14-8, 1-2 NJAC) reeled off 27 unanswered runs to defeat The College of New jersey (10-8, 2-1 NJAC), 28-7, April 8.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Lions scored five times with two outs during the top of the first inning, stringing together four singles and a pair of doubles.
- The Pioneers had some two-out magic of their own, touching the plate seven times during their first at-bat. Base hits by senior third baseman Colin Lombardo and senior designated hitter Dylan Habeeb set up an RBI-single by senior left fielder Dan Carter. Sophomore second baseman Jake Lutz walked to load the bases for senior right fielder Vinnie Martin, who sent all three runners home with a double to left-center field. Senior shortstop Chris Liriano singled in Martin, and four consecutive walks issued to senior center fielder Justin Grippo, Lombardo, graduate student first baseman Carson Weis and senior catcher Steve Yelin forced across two runs, leaving WP with a 7-5 edge.
- William Paterson added three more in the second with a Carter leadoff double to right, a Lutz walk, a Martin run-scoring single to right center, a Liriano sacrifice fly and a Lombardo RBI-double to left-center field.
- WP pushed its advantage to 14-5 during the home half of the third. Yelin started the inning with a double and Habeeb singled him in. Carter's base hit left runners on the corners, Lutz plated a run with a double down the left-field line, Martin's ground ball scored Carter and Liriano lifted a sac fly to center.
- Carter's homer to left-center field plated Yelin and Habeeb, making it a 17-5 game after four frames.
- The Pioneers added 10 more to their total in the fifth inning, including grand slams by both Carter and Grippo as well as a two-run Weis double.
- A single, balk and base hit resulted in one TCNJ sixth-inning score.
- The Lions plated another run during the top half of the seventh thanks to three base hits.
- Sophomore catcher Jake Fallers drove home Liriano with a sac fly, making it a 28-7 edge after seven innings.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Carter finished 5-for-5 with eight RBI and five runs scored, hitting a double, three-run homer and grand slam.
- Martin was 4-for-5 while adding a pair of doubles, five RBI and four runs scored. Yelin went 3-for-4 and added a double, RBI and three runs scored.
- Senior Matt Lawler improved to 2-0 with 6.0 innings of action, allowing six runs on 11 hits and one walk, striking out three.
- Graduate student Jason Rivera twirled 2.0 innings, surrendering one run and five hits with one strikeout. Junior Tyler Searles pitched the ninth and scattered two hits and a walk while striking out one batter.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson travels to No. 14 Kean for a doubleheader Saturday, April 9, at 11:30 a.m.
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