Wayne, NJ – William Paterson University used a pair of four-run innings to break open the game as the Pioneers took the first game of its home-and-home series with Montclair State, downing the Red Hawks 12-4 at Jeff Albies Field on Thursday.

K.C. Abel went 4-for-5 and drove in four runs for the Pioneers (15-11, 4-3 NJAC), who captured the 191^st meeting between the two local rivals. WPU has won two of the last three contests.
Brothers Ryan and MATT LONG combined for six hits and two RBI as the Red Hawks fell to 12-13 overall, 3-4 in the conference with the loss.

William Paterson grabbed a 2-0 lead early as Jimmy Kenny singled home a run in the first and Rob Eggert added a sacrifice fly the following inning. Montclair State tied the game in the third. MATT LONG lofted a sac fly scoring JUSTIN EPIFANIO and PHILIP SCOTT singled to left brining home RYAN LONG.

WPU regained the lead in the fourth with four runs. Eriq Colon had a sacrifice fly and a single by Mike Abate through the left side that brought home Eggert for a 4-2 lead. Abel doubled in the final two run giving the hosts a four-run cushion. The lead would grow to 8-2 on an RBI single by Victor Sanchez in the fifth and run-scoring hit by Mike Knauf in the sixth.

Epifanio and MATT LONG each had RBIs in the seventh to half the deficit to 8-4 however William Paterson tacked on four runs in the eighth for the final margin.

Mitch D'Amato (5-2) got the win for WPU as he went the first 6 2/3 innings allowing four runs and 10 hits with two strikeouts. Eric Rosenberg registered the final seven outs giving up a pair of hits. MICHAEL MATARAZZO (0-3) took the loss for MSU.

Abate had three hits while Kenny, Colon and Sanchez recorded two hits apiece. RYAN LONG was 4-for-5 while MATT LONG, PETER PENA and Epifanio collected two each for the Red Hawks.  

The two teams will square off again on Friday, April 15 at Yogi Berra Stadium beginning at 3:30 pm.