WAYNE, N.J. – A seven-run seventh inning carried the William Paterson baseball team (14-9, 3-3 NJAC) to a 12-7 home victory against The College of New Jersey (12-14, 3-3 NJAC) April 10.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Two walks and a single handed the Lions a 1-0 first-inning lead.
- The Pioneers struck for a pair of runs during their first at-bat. Graduate student second baseman Colin Lombardo was hit by a pitch to lead off and graduate student catcher Steve Yelin hit a ground-rule double to left. Graduate student first baseman Carson Weis plated both with a double to left-center field, making it a 2-1 game.
- WP added two more in the fourth. Lombardo drew a two-out walk, Yelin sent an RBI-double down the left-field line, Weis had a base hit up the middle and graduate student right fielder Dan Carter dropped an RBI-single into shallow right for a 4-1 advantage.
- TCNJ strung together a base on balls, double and single to cut the lead to 4-3 during the top of the fourth inning.
- Base hits by Lombardo, Yelin and Carter pushed across a single Pioneer run for a 5-3 score after four frames.
- The Lions cut their deficit in half with a base hit, walk, sacrifice and RBI-groundout during the top half of the sixth.
- A three-run homer pushed TCNJ ahead by a 7-5 count in the seventh.
- William Paterson stormed back with a seven-run seventh. Junior left fielder Noah Cabassa sent a one-out pitch up the first-base line for an infield single, graduate student pinch hitter Steven DiGirolamo and sophomore shortstop Tyler Ruban were issued walks and sophomore third baseman Ruven Pino cleared the bases with a double down the left-field line, pushing WP ahead by an 8-7 count. Lombardo's double plated Pino and Yelin singled in Lombardo, followed by a Weis RBI-triple and run-scoring wild pitch for a 12-7 Pioneer lead.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Yelin finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, a pair of RBI and three runs scored. Weis went 3-for-5 while adding a double, triple, three RBI and one run, and Pino was 2-for-2 with a three-run double.
- Junior Nick Nielson allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks, registering six strikeouts during 6.0 innings of action.
- Freshman Chris Quartuccio recorded one out and surrendered one hit, three runs and two walks. Sophomore Neel Telidevara improved to 2-1 with 2.2 shutout innings of relief, striking out two batters.
UP NEXT:
- William Paterson visits Wilkes Tuesday, April 11, at 3:45 p.m.
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