WAYNE, N.J. - William Paterson University scored eight runs over the opening two innings of the first game and then built a 6-0 lead through three innings in the second to cruise to a 18-2 and 10-6 doubleheader sweep of the Keene State College baseball team in a pair of seven-inning contests Sunday at Jeff Albies Field.

Records

• Keene State:  0-5
• William Paterson:  6-1

How It Happened - Game One

The Owls made four errors in the opener, with two coming in the first two innings, as the Pioneers batted through the order in both frames, building an 8-0 lead.  Four of those runs were plated by something other than a hit, including two on wild pitches.  William Paterson leadoff hitter Steven DiGirolamo walked to kick off the bottom of the first and quickly scored when the next batter, Carson Weis, doubled to right.  A fielder's choice combined with an error and a wild pitch later made it 3-0 before Matt Ferrara's RBI single tacked on another.  Keene State had a pair of baserunners in both the first and second innings, but came away with nothing to show for it and then gave up another four-spot in the second.  DiGirolamo led off with a single and Weis then reached on an error before Steve Yelin's run-scoring hit made it 5-0.  A one-out walk filled the bases, and all three eventually scored as Adrian Alarcon singled to center to plate one before a hit batter and wild pitch accounted for the other two.

Trailing 8-0, the Owls saw Jake McMaster get plunked and Connor Walsh follow with a single with two down in the third, but they could not make any dent in the deficit and William Paterson put up seven more runs in the bottom of the fourth, three of which came on walks with the bases loaded and one on another hit batsman.

Jake Morris (0-1) started and pitched one inning for KSC, allowing seven runs (five earned).  The Pioneers' Jordan Manne improved to 1-0 after striking out six in four innings, allowing just two hits.  William Paterson had 11 different players record a hit.  Ferrara finished 2-for-4 with four RBI.

Keene State got a run-scoring single by Brendan Eaton and a 1-for-3 showing with an RBI from Mike Collins, but was held to five hits in the game.

How It Happened - Game Two

The second game was not much different, as the Pioneers played from in front after Weis tripled with one out in the first before scoring on an error and then blew the game open by scoring nine runs between the third and fourth innings.  Trailing 1-0, KSC did not get their first baserunner until the top of the third when Matthew Goldman singled.  He later stole second with one out, but a strikeout and bouncer to second ended the frame and the Owls then fell into a deep hole in the bottom half of the inning after WPU scored five times, four with two outs.  The first two reached for the Pioneers, but a pair of fly outs, one of which scored a run to make it 2-0, followed.  The third out was elusive, however, as William Paterson had the next four hitters reach base.  Dan Carter doubled home one ahead of Colin Lombardo, who cracked a two-run homer to make it 5-0.  Trailing by six, Keene State chipped two runs off their deficit in the top of the fourth, as McMaster connected for his own long ball - the first of his collegiate career - to get the Owls on the board before Goldman's double later in the frame made it 6-2.  However, the Owls remained unable to keep WPU at bay, as they immediately hit back with four more in the very next half inning to forge ahead 10-2.

An RBI single by Josh DeFrancisco and bases loaded walks from Josh Andrade and McMaster in the top of the sixth helped Keene State cut their deficit in half (10-6), and the Owls, who had the bases loaded, brought the tying run to the plate in Walsh, but new pitcher Jack DeFouw retired him on a comebacker and then sent KSC down in order in the seventh to finish off the sweep.

Gregory Esposito (0-1) started and went three innings in his Owl debut, allowing six runs (five earned).  William Paterson got a five-inning effort from Ian Metzger (3-0).  He allowed two runs, six hits and a walk while striking out five.  DeFouw picked up a save, his second, after 1.1 hitless innings with two punchouts.

Goldman (2B) and Walsh each went 2-for-4 in the game, while McMaster drove in two while going 1-for-3 with the aforementioned homer, two runs batted in and a walk.  Carter (3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R), Lombardo (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Alarcon (2-3, 3 RBI) combined for seven hits at the bottom of the Pioneers' lineup.

Around the Horn

• McMaster (.364) and DeFrancisco (.357) have combined to hit .360 over the opening five games, including a home run, two doubles, three RBI, three runs scored and four walks.  DeFrancisco has a five-game hitting streak.
• KSC is now 7-8 against William Paterson and has lost the last four meetings in a row.

Up Next

• KSC begins their annual spring break trip later this week and will open in Florida with two against Penn State University-Fayette (0-2-1) on Friday, March 13 beginning at 11:30 am.
• William Paterson hosts St. Joseph's College (Long Island) on Tuesday, March 10 at 3:30 pm.