WAYNE, N.J. – No. 23 William Paterson (23-6, 14-4 NJAC) secured the second seed for the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament with a Senior Day sweep of Stockton (9-13, 7-11 NJAC), 15-5 and 10-1, May 1.
After the second game the Pioneers honored their 12 seniors – outfielder Frankie Deane, pitcher Jack DeFouw, pitcher Francis Diaz, outfielder Steven DiGirolamo, shortstop Matt Ferrara, catcher Dylan Habeeb, pitcher/utility Armando Ovalles, pitcher Jason Palmeri, pitcher Zac Polzer, pitcher Jason Rivera, pitcher Kyle Weiner and first baseman Carson Weis.
The seventh and 10th seeds will play an NJAC Tournament first-round single-elimination game Tuesday, May 4. The winner will advance to play a best-of-three NJAC Tournament quarterfinal series at second-seeded WP. The Pioneers will host a doubleheader Friday, May 7, at 12:00 p.m., and if necessary, a single game Saturday, May 8, at 2:00 p.m. to determine who advances to the semifinal round.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A walk and double gave the Ospreys a 1-0 first-inning advantage.
- WP leveled the score during its first at-bat, thanks to a one-out single by Ferrara and a double down the left-field line by Habeeb.
- Stockton regained the lead in the second, stringing together a single, double and RBI-groundout for a 2-1 edge.
- A two-out rally netted the Pioneers a pair of second-inning runs. Back-to-back singles by junior third baseman Chris Liriano and Deane and a balk led to a two-RBI DiGirolamo double down the right-field line and a 3-2 lead.
- Junior second baseman Colin Lombardo opened the bottom half of the fourth with a base hit up the middle, stole second, moved to third on a Liriano flyout and later scored via DiGirolamo's single to center.
- William Paterson made it a 6-2 game in the fifth inning. Yelin's one-out infield single was followed by a base hit to right off the bat of junior designated hitter Dan Carter. Weis singled in Yelin, and after a Lombardo walk loaded the bags, Liriano lifted a sac fly to right field.
- Ferrara walked and trotted home when Habeeb homered to right center, followed by a Carter walk and Weis RBI-triple down the left-field line, pushing it to a 9-3 margin after six frames.
- Liriano was issued a base on balls to start the home half of the seventh, and he was promptly sent home when Deane doubled into the left-field corner. Ferrara's fly ball to left got over the fielder's head in the swirling winds, and he raced around the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park home run and a 12-3 edge.
- Sophomore pinch hitter David Backo drew a one-out walk during the bottom of the eighth inning, and freshman Brett Coyle followed with a pinch-hit single into left field. A passed ball advanced the runners one base, setting up a DiGirolamo sac fly. Ferrara singled in Coyle and reached third base on an error on the play, and he later scrambled home after a wild pitch, making it a 15-3 game.
- Stockton finished the scoring with a pair of ninth-inning runs, using two base hits, a double and an error.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Ferrara was 3-for-5 with an inside-the-park homer, three RBI and four runs scored. Habeeb finished 3-for-6 while adding a double, homer and three RBI.
- DiGirolamo went 2-for-5 while hitting a double and driving in four runners. Yelin added a 3-for-6, one-run effort.
- Junior Jordan Manne tossed the first 6.0 innings and scattered three runs, five hits and three walks while registering three strikeouts (3-2).
- Junior Matt Lawler earned a three-inning save, his first of the season, while allowing two runs, five hits and a walk with a pair of punchouts.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Habeeb drew a two-out walk, Yelin singled to left and Stockton committed an error to make it a 1-0 WP edge after one inning.
- The Ospreys evened the score at 1-1 during the top half of the second thanks to a single and error, wild pitch and groundout.
- The Pioneers answered with a pair of scores during the home half of the same inning. Liriano walked and Deane doubled him in, followed two batters later by a Ferrara RBI-single into right field.
- William Paterson made it a 4-1 game in the fourth with a Lombardo leadoff double to left, a flyout and a DiGirolamo swinging strikeout in the dirt that was thrown away to first base.
- A three-run fifth inning pushed the Pioneers' advantage to 7-1. After a leadoff Habeeb double, Yelin walk, wild pitch and groundout, an error on a fielder's choice plated Habeeb, and Lombardo singled in two runners.
- Ferrara opened the bottom half of the sixth with a base hit up the middle, and an error and Yelin fielder's choice made it an 8-1 score.
- Ferrara ignited a two-run eighth with a leadoff base hit, an advancement to second on a failed pickoff attempt and a move to third on a wild pitch. Yelin singled him in, and after Carter's base hit put runners on the corners. Weis made it a 10-1 game with a fielder's choice groundout.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Ferrara posted three hits, and RBI and two runs scored. Yelin went 2-for-4 while driving in two runs and scoring twice himself, and Lombardo finished 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
- DeFouw struck out seven during his 6.2 innings of action, scattering seven hits, one unearned run and one walk (5-1).
- Junior Tyler Searles retired the only batter he faced. Classmate Riley Weis pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one hit and a walk with two strikeouts. Carter struck out two of the three batters during the ninth inning.
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