Adam Sandt raised his batting average to .457 with two hits against William Paterson on Wednesday. |
WAYNE, N.J. (April 19, 2006) – Junior pitcher/infielder Adam Sandt (Allentown, Pa.) drilled a bases-clearing double with two outs in the fifth inning to break open a close game as No. 17 Stevens Institute of Technology claimed a 7-3 victory over William Paterson University on Wednesday at Pioneer Baseball Park in Wayne, N.J. The Ducks, who have now won three games in a row, improved to 23-6 on the year while William Paterson fell to 20-10 overall.
Stevens opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning as senior outfielder Tim Meehan (Hawthorne, N.J.) singled with one out. After stealing second, Meehan advanced to third on a wild pitch. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by Sandt.
Tied at 1-1 in the top of the fifth, freshman pitcher/infielder Alex Sota (Lititz, Pa.) produced a sacrifice fly that scored junior pitcher/infielder Ryan Birkenstock (Smithville, N.J.) with the lead run. With two outs and no one on base, the Ducks mounted a rally. Sophomore catcher David Katusa (Somerset, N.J.) singled to left to get things going. Senior pitcher/outfielder Gerard Moreno (Bogota, N.J.) followed with a bunt single down the third-base line. After a walk to Meehan loaded the bases, Sandt drilled a three-run double to the gap in right-center as Stevens grabbed a 5-1 lead.
William Paterson mounted a comeback in the sixth with a pair of runs as junior centerfielder Rick Pignatello (Wayne, N.J.) led off with a double. Pignatello eventually scored on an RBI single by junior leftfielder Don Reinertsen (Swartswood, N.J.). Junior first baseman Ted King (West Windsor, N.J.) added a run-scoring double to left-center to cut the Ducks’ lead to 5-3.
With a runner at second and only one out, sophomore pitcher Chris Burgess (Palisades Park, N.J.) came on in relief and struck out the first batter he faced. Stevens averted further damage as Meehan made a tremendous diving catch in left-center on a sinking line drive off the bat of senior outfielder Pete Zaccheria (Parsippany, N.J.).
The Ducks added to their lead in the seventh as sophomore infielder John Frustaci (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one out. Katusa scored on the play. Stevens pushed the margin to 7-3 with an unearned run in the eighth as Katusa singled home Sota with two outs.
Sandt was 2-for-4 in the game with four runs batted in. Katusa had two hits, two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Meehan was 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Junior pitcher/outfielder Eric McCormick (Edison, N.J.) improved to 3-1 on the season as he allowed five hits and three runs over 5.1 innings of work. Burgess and junior pitcher/outfielder Jim Waterman (South Harrison Township, N.J.) combined to allow just one hit over 3.2 innings in relief of McCormick.
Pignatello led the Pioneers with three hits, including a pair of doubles. He also scored a run and stole his 19th base of the season. Junior pitcher Jose Sotomayor (Jersey City, N.J.) was saddled with the loss as he surrendered five hits, five runs and two walks over 4.2 innings. Sotomayor fell to 1-1 on the season in the process.
Stevens will travel to Hackettstown, N.J., for an important Skyline Conference doubleheader against Centenary College on Saturday. The first game is slated to begin at noon.
