WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson baseball team (8-9-2) suffered a 5-2 loss to visiting No. 11/12 Alvernia (18-2-1) April 5.

The Pioneers seized a 1-0 lead during the home half of the first inning when senior center fielder Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) lined a leadoff single into right field and freshman left fielder Carlos Perez (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) followed with a double off the base of the fence in left center.

Two walks and a pair of flyouts, the second a sac fly by sophomore center fielder Colin Rieger, tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second.

The Crusaders opened the fifth with a base hit and walk, then a bunt fielded by the pitcher. He attempted to get the lead runner, but the throw got by the third baseman to allow the go-ahead run to score. A single and error plated two more runs and Alvernia owned a 4-1 advantage.

WP answered with a single score during the bottom of the fifth when Abate grounded a base hit into the hole on the left side and junior right fielder Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) lifted a two-out double to left-center field.

A Ben Dubas double down the left-field line, a Cameron Coons base hit through the left side and an Ethan Francis pinch-hit single to right tacked on another Alvernia run in the seventh inning.

Abate went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while senior catcher Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) was 2-for-3.

Freshman Jack DeFouw (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) allowed one run on three hits and three walks, striking out one in 4.0 innings as the starter. Classmate Zach Polzer (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic County Tech) gave up two hits, one walk and three runs (one earned) over 1.1 innings while posting one strikeout (0-2), and junior Adam Miller (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) surrendered four hits and one run during 1.2 innings on the hill. Juniors Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) and Steve Duda (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) each pitched 1.0 inning of perfect relief.

Coons finished 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Crusaders.

Senior Ryan Sheekey tossed the first 5.0 innings, giving up two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six (3-0). Sophomore Nicholas Marotta scattered two hits and one walk over 3.0 innings, and classmate Zack Landy struck out one hitter during the ninth.

William Paterson will visit Montclair State Thursday, April 6, at 3:30 p.m.

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