AUBURNDALE, FLA. – The William Paterson baseball team (5-5-1) saw its ninth-inning rally fall short against No. 6 Wisconsin-Whitewater (4-1), 9-7, March 16 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
The Warhawks used a leadoff triple and a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead during the top of the second inning.
UWW added one more in the third, stringing together a single, sacrifice, stolen base and sac fly.
Wisconsin-Whitewater made it a 7-0 game in the seventh, taking advantage of six base hits and three WP errors.
The Warhawks used a double, steal and two errors for a single run in the eighth, and a base hit, stolen base and RBI-single made it 9-0 during the top half of the ninth inning.
The Pioneers crossed the plate seven times during the bottom of the ninth. Three straight walks to senior center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills), sophomore left fielder Garett Wiedemann (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) and junior right fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) started the frame, and after a strikeout, freshman third baseman Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) singled through the right side. Senior designated hitter Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) sent a base hit through the left side of the infield and junior shortstop Bernard Brito (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn) had a groundout to make it a 9-3 game. A wild pitch plated Perez, freshman second baseman Vin Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) was issued a base on balls, and an error allowed Knauf to touch home. Abate doubled in two more runs before a popup ended the rally and the game.
Perez was 2-for-4 while posting an RBI and run scored, and Abate was 1-for-3 with a two-run double.
Sophomore Chris Babb (West Milford, N.J./DePaul Catholic) pitched the first 6.0 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and four walks, collecting seven strikeouts (2-2). Junior Adam Miller (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) gave up four hits and four runs with one punchout over 0.1 inning, while freshman Zach Polzer (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) allowed one unearned run, two hits and a walk with one strikeout during 0.1 inning of work. Junior Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) surrendered one hit and one unearned run over 1.1 innings, striking out one, while senior Mike Sasso (West Orange, N.J./Montclair Kimberley) gave up one run on two hits with one strikeout during 1.0 inning on the mound.
Sophomore left fielder Matt Wary finished 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored for UWW. Junior starter Austin Jones (2-0) pitched 6.0 hitless innings, striking out 10 and walking one.
William Paterson will face RPI Friday, March 17, at 11:00 a.m. at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
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