Trenton, NJ - Junior second baseman Tim Banos (Edison, NJ/Edison) delivered freshman shortstop Mike Rivera (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) with the winning run on a fielder's choice with two outs in the top of the 10th inning as No. 3-seeded William Paterson defeated No. 2 Montclair State, 3-2, in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament at Waterfront Park, home of the New York Yankees' Double-A affiliate, the Trenton Thunder.

William Paterson (25-12) won its first opening NJAC Tournament game since 2000 and will play No. 1-seeded Rowan, a 17-4 victor over No. 4 Ramapo in the earlier game, Saturday at 3 p.m. in the winner's bracket. Meanwhile, Montclair State (22-14) will play Ramapo in the loser's bracket game of the double-elimination tournament at 11 a.m. Both games will be played at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, home of the Philadelphia Phillies' Single-A affiliate, the Lakewood Blue Claws.

After a 22-minute delay to turn on the lights to start the 10th, the Pioneers started their rally when Rivera reached on an infield single, stole second and advanced to third when freshman center fielder Rick Pignatello (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) reached on a Red Hawk error before Banos' fielder's choice delivered Rivera with the winning run.

Rivera went 3-for-4 and scored two of the Pioneers' runs. Pioneer freshman right-hander Tim Cowan (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) earned the win by pitching three innings of two-hit, no-run relief to improve to 2-1 while junior righty Anthony Mangine (Woodbridge, NJ/St. Joseph of Metuchen) hurled a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his conference-leading sixth save. Sophomore ALEX THOMPSON (Whippany Park, NJ/Whippany Park) allowed an unearned run in the 10th and fell to 1-1.

William Paterson struck first in the second when sophomore right fielder Pete Zaccheria (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany) drew a one-out walk and senior first baseman Matt Cleary (South Plainfield, NJ/St. Joseph of Metuchen) followed by drilling a RBI double into the right-center-field gap. Montclair State responded in the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back run-scoring doubles by sophomore third baseman DANNY RODRIGUEZ (Monmouth, NJ/South Brunswick) and sophomore second baseman MARC DECASTRO (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI) with two outs.

The Pioneers scored the tying run with a two-out rally in the visitor's half of the fifth. Rivera reached on an infield single and came across on a RBI double off the bat of Pignatello. Cleary finished 2-for-4 as William Paterson amassed nine hits.

Rodriguez and junior catcher ROB BLACKBURN (Sussex, NJ/Vernon) both went 2-for-4 as Montclair State managed eight hits. Senior southpaw JEFF GOGAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) pitched the first nine innings for the Red Hawks, scattering seven hits and two runs while fanning seven and walking two.

William Paterson junior right-hander Dan Corrado (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) started and allowed six hits and two runs, while striking out five without a walk.