Baseball Walks Off on William Paterson in Extras

When and Where:

April 4, 2023 - Patchogue, NY

Records:

St. Joseph's (L.I.), 14-3; William Paterson University, 13-6

Results:

The St. Joseph's University (L.I.) baseball team walked off on William Paterson University in the bottom of the 11th inning for a 10-9 non-conference win at Gregg Alfano Field on Tuesday evening.

Key Players:

• Sophomore Anselmo Joya led the Golden Eagles with a  4-for-6 performance at the plate with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored

• Senior Ryan Decoursey finished 3-for-6 and also had two RBIs with two runs scored

• In his first collegiate start, freshman Marco Gullo went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a crucial walk while spending all 11 innings behind the dish

• St. Joseph's starter junior Peter Manger allowed just two runs on three hits and two Ks before giving way to the bullpen after five innings of work

How it happened:

• St. Joseph's was first on the board with three runs in the top of the first. Krpata led off the inning with a double to center and back-to-back walks to Sanguedolce and Gugliuzzo loading the bases for Decoursey who singled through the right side pushing two runs across. A batter later Gugliuzzo came in to score on a wild pitch

• The Pioneers got on the board in the third inning when Steven Yelin hit an RBI single that scored C Lombardo who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning

• St. Joseph's responded by adding three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-1 lead. John Lynch and Gullo provided RBIs while Decoursey scored on a wild pitch.

• Following a scoreless fourth, Joya nearly got clipped with a ball up and in before taking the next pitch deep to straight-away center extending the SJLI lead to 7-1

• The Pioneers began to chip away at the host's lead starting with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the sixth

• A three-run seventh highlighted by a solo shot to left from Lombardo and a two-RBI double off the bat of Dan Carter put WPU to within two, 7-5

• Lombardo homered again in the top of the ninth this time with a runner on tying the game at seven 

• The Golden Eagles got two runners on with no outs to start the bottom of the ninth, but a failed bunt attempt and an inning-ending double play sent the game into extra innings

• Both sides were retired in order on the 10th before Lombardo blasted his third home run of the day to put the visitors ahead 8-7. An RBI single from Carter later in the inning gave the Pioneers a two-run advantage heading into the bottom half of the 11th

• A single to left by Decoursey got things started for the Golden Eagles in the 11th and a walk to Joe Hackal put runners at first and second with one out. Joya singled through the right side sending Decoursey home inching SJLI to within one, 9-8. After intentionally walking Nick Vicino to load the base, James Maggio sent a ground ball to the right side allowing Hackal to score the tying run. Gullo drew a two-out walk to reload the bases for Phil Krpata who worked a five-pitch walk forcing in Joya for the game-winning run

Notes:

• Anthony Cinquemani got the win out of the bullpen for the Golden Eagles

• William Paterson's Carter was handed the loss allowing three runs on two hits and four walks in 2.1 innings of relief

• St. Joseph's finished with 15 hits to the Pioneers' 11

• SJLI was a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases

Next up, the Golden Eagles will travel to Manhattanville College for a Skyline Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 8 at 12:00 pm.