Little Falls, NJ – Fourth-seeded William Paterson lost both games to No. 2-ranked and top-seeded Montclair State during the regular season, however with the stakes much higher, the Pioneers exacted their revenge.

Designated hitter Robin Roberts and catcher Robert Riley each drove in two runs as WPU (20-16) upended Montclair (34-5-1), 7-5 in the opening round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament, in a game that was completed on Saturday morning after being suspended due to rain on Friday evening.

Righthander Shaun Stokes (6-4) struck out eight over eight innings sending William Paterson into the next round against third-seeded The College of New Jersey.

CRAIG CONWAY went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Red Hawks, who will try to stave off elimination on Saturday against second-seeded Rowan.

The Pioneers, who suffered 6-3 and 8-2 losses to MSU earlier this year, jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Riley singled to center in the third for the game's first run and added an RBI double in the fifth. That came after John Saldi collected a run-scoring single scoring Roberts.

Montclair closed the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth inning. CRAIG CONWAY doubled to right center with one out and GEORGE GALLAGHER was hit by a pitch. Stokes fanned the next batter, however, BRIAN ELLERSON, who tied the MSU hitting streak record in his previous at-bat, singled scoring Conway. Gallagher came home on the next play as WPU misplayed a FRANK FRANCIA grounder.

William Paterson extended the lead to 4-2 in the eighth on a Robert's RBI single and widened the advantage to 7-2 in the ninth scoring three times. Dan Torres plated two runs with a base hit and Roberts drove in one.

That proved important as Montclair mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth. CHRIS BARAN doubled in a run and a two-run single by Conway brought MSU within 7-5. The Red Hawks had the tying runs on base with two outs, however reliever Dan Snyder induced a pop up to end the game.

Roberts finished 3-for-6 at the plate while Riley went 4-for-5 as the Pioneers totaled 14 hits.

Senior righthander GREG BELSON (9-1) suffered his first loss of the season. Belson also went eight innings giving up four runs and 11 hits, fanning seven and walking four.

Ellerson had two hits and tied Tony Scarlatelli (1974) for the longest hitting streak in school history at 21 games.