Game One
Three runs in the top of the seventh inning spoiled the Pioneers' comeback hopes in the opener, 8-4.
Junior designated hitter Joe Sigismondi was hit by a pitch and sophomore right fielder Zach Ellin walked to start the top of the first, and the pair moved up 90 feet thanks to a sacrifice bunt. Senior first baseman Connor Hall doubled both runners in to make it a quick 2-0 Scarlet Raptor lead.
A walk and fielder's choice left junior second baseman Justin Ferreira (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) at first base during the home half of the third, and he stole second before a single up the middle by sophomore center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) put runners on the corners. Junior left fielder Tyler Garguilo's (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) squeeze bunt plated Ferreira and cut the lead in half at 2-1.
Rutgers-Camden used a Hall two-out double and an RBI-single by sophomore shortstop Pedro Perez to make it a 3-1 edge in the fifth.
WP scored once during the home half of the same frame. Leadoff hitter Abate was hit by a pitch and Garguilo singled through the right side before the Raptors recorded a pair of outs. A base on balls issued to graduate student right fielder AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) loaded the bases for junior third baseman K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley), whose single to short pushed across Abate.
The Pioneers tied the score at 3-3 during the bottom of the sixth inning when junior shortstop Victor Sanchez (Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) drilled a leadoff triple down the left-field line and Ferreira followed with a base hit to the shortstop.
However, Rutgers-Camden answered with a three-run seventh. Sigismondi and Ellin opened the inning with base hits, and after a strikeout and a wild pitch, another strikeout made it runners on second and third with two outs. Perez hit a two-run single to center field, and he later crossed the plate following a steal and a Jon Theckston base hit to right center.
An Abate one-out triple and a Garguilo run-scoring groundout made it a 6-4 margin at the end of eight innings.
Rutgers-Camden added two insurance runs during its last at-bat. Ellin reached via a leadoff error and sophomore second baseman Joe Brooks sent a base hit through the left side of the infield before Hall hit an RBI-single down the left-field line. Two batters later, Theckston drove in Brooks with a double to right center.
Abate was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, while Garguilo drove in a pair of runs.
Senior Tom Gaccione (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) took the loss (2-1), allowing four runs on five hits over 6.0 innings, striking out seven and walking three. Classmate Joe Moran (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills) gave up three hits and two runs over 0.2 inning of relief, posting two strikeouts, and senior Ryan Monaghan (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) surrendered two runs (one earned) and three hits in 2.1 innings with one strikeout.
Hall finished 3-for-5 two doubles, three RBI and a run scored. Senior Jeff Singer (1-1) allowed three runs on seven hits during 6.0 innings as the starter, posting six strikeouts and three walks. Junior Ryann Sullivan earned his first save with 3.0 innings of one-run ball, collecting two strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Game Two
Rutgers-Camden jumped out to an early 2-0 lead en route to a 5-1 victory in the night cap.
Ellin drew a one-out walk during the top half of the first and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt before Brooks was issued a base on balls and advanced to second due to a wild pitch. A strikeout was the second out of the inning, but a later error allowed both runners to score and give the Scarlet Raptors a 2-0 edge.
Junior third baseman Brett Tenuto got aboard to start the top of the fifth via an error, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. Sigismondi then lifted a sac fly to center to make it a 3-0 score.
The Scarlet Raptors added two more runs in the sixth. Brooks hit a leadoff single down the left-field line and stole second, and Perez's base hit put runners on the corners. A squeeze bunt by pinch hitter Tim Holder plated Brooks, and senior Adam Bartholomew delivered a pinch-hit RBI-single through the right side to drive in Perez from second.
Junior designated hitter Jimmy Kenny (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex Regional) started the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to right-center field, advanced to third thanks to a groundout and scored on a two-out error.
Flores, Kenny, Abel and Sanchez accounted for WP's four hits. Sophomore starter Mike Sasso (West Orange, N.J./Montclair Kimberley) fell to 3-1, giving up two hits and five runs (two earned) during 5.1 innings on the mound with three strikeouts and three walks. Freshman Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) gave up one hit and struck out one in 1.2 innings, while classmate Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) tossed 1.0 inning of shutout, one-hit relief. Junior Jon Padilla (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
Perez led Rutgers-Camden with a 2-for-4 effort and one run scored. Starter Billy Jackson (2-1) surrendered one unearned run and four hits in 8.0 innings, striking out five.
William Paterson will play at St. Joseph's-Long Island Wednesday, April 1, at 3:30 p.m.
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