GLASSBORO, N.J. – No. 19 William Paterson's (27-8, 14-4 NJAC) run through the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament came to an end with 12-4 and 8-3 losses at No. 8 Rowan (25-4, 17-1 NJAC) May 21 during the best-of-three finals series.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Both teams threatened in the fourth, with the Pioneers loading the bases with one out and the Profs starting the frame with two singles, but the game remained scoreless through four frames.
- Rowan broke through for a six-run fifth, stringing together four singles, a walk, a double and a base hit.
- Junior right fielder Steve Yelin reached second on an error to start the top half of the sixth, advanced to third on a Dan Carter groundout and scored thanks to an RBI-single to left field by senior first baseman Carson Weis. A hit by pitch for junior second baseman Colin Lombardo loaded the bases for senior left fielder Frankie Deane, who sent a sacrifice fly to center field for a 6-2 score.
- The Profs extended their lead to 10-2 in the bottom of the sixth with four base hits, a run-scoring fielder's choice, a wild pitch and a two-run error.
- Senior shortstop Matt Ferrara drilled a double to center and Yelin had an infield single before Carter delivered both runners with a base hit through the left side, cutting the lead to 10-4 during the top half of the seventh inning.
- Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Rowan during the home half of the seventh, and a hit by pitch and groundout plated two final runs.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Ferrara finished 2-for-3 with a double and run scored, and Carter posted two RBI.
- Sophomore Darmany Rivas suffered his first loss (8-1) after allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out one in 4.0 innings.
- Sophomore Ian Metzger tossed 2.0 innings of six-hit, five-run (two earned) ball, posting one punchout. Junior Jordan Manne surrendered two runs and two walks in his 0.1 inning, and senior Jason Rivera tossed the final 1.2 innings, striking out two and giving up one hit.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The visiting team for the second game, Rowan notched a three-run first frame with three walks, an error, one hit and two sac flies.
- The Profs made it 4-0 in the second with a single and run-scoring triple.
- Three consecutive base hits from Yelin, Carter and Weis got the Pioneers on the scoreboard during the bottom of the second inning, 4-1.
- Two base hits sandwiched a walk, adding one Rowan run in the third.
- A hit, error, wild pitch and sacrifice fly pushed the Prof advantage to 6-1 during the top half of the fourth.
- A bases-loaded wild pitch pushed across one Rowan eighth-inning score.
- Senior catcher Dylan Habeeb doubled and Yelin singled, setting up a Carter run-scoring double to center and a Weis RBI-groundout to short for a 7-3 game after eight innings.
- A first-and-third squeeze bunt plated the game's final runner in the top of the ninth.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Carter went 3-for-3 while posting a double and RBI. Yelin finished 2-for-4 and scored twice, and Weis drove in two runs.
- Senior Jack DeFouw pitched 1.2 innings, allowing three hits, four runs (three earned) and three walks, registering one strikeout (7-2).
- Junior Matt Lawler gave up two runs on three hits and a walk, striking out one over 1.1 innings. Classmate Adrian Alarcon tossed 3.2 frames and scattered three walks with one punchout.
- Freshman Pat Warburton surrendered a base on balls and one unearned run during 0.2 inning of work. Senior Zac Polzer allowed one hit, a run and one walk, striking out two during his 1.0 inning of action. Junior Riley Weis recorded the final two outs.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS: