2026 NJAC Baseball Championship Central | Bracket | TICKETS
UNION, N.J. – Freshman Matt Caruso delivered the game-winning hit and senior Nick Durso closed the door in relief to help propel the sixth-seeded William Paterson baseball team (16-22, 7-11 NJAC) to a 3-2 extra-innings upset road victory over third-seeded No. 12/12 Kean (29-11-1, 12-6 NJAC) in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament quarterfinals April 28.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In the third inning, sophomore Alex Gomez put a ball on the ground in the infield, and a throwing error by Kean allowed him to reach second safely. A single by junior Devin Daproza moved Gomez to third before junior Avery Whitney hit a sacrifice fly to left to put WP in front, 1-0.
- Daproza led off the seventh with a single to left center and advanced to third following a sacrifice bunt and a base hit by Caruso. Junior Ty Kobylakiewicz then hit a sacrifice fly to center to help the Pioneers extend the lead to two (2-0).
- Kean evened the score (2-2) with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.
- In the top of the 11th, a pair of walks put runners on first and second for WP, setting up Caruso for the game-winning RBI single through the right side.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Daproza finished 3-for-4 with a run scored.
- Caruso batted 2-for-5 with an RBI.
- Durso earned the win after tossing 2.0 scoreless frames in extra innings.
- Junior Jose Marte went 7.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out four batters.
- Junior Stephen Kubis went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.
- Gomez recorded a single, a walk and a pair of runs scored.
- Kobylakiewicz and Whitney each drove in a run.
- Sophomore Jayden Villalta pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.
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