2008 Woodie Awards
Baseball Get Revenge vs. College of New Jersey
Michael McCrae
Issue date: 5/3/06 Section: Sports
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This time, William Paterson faced a different version of Mike Oliver.
The TCNJ sophomore pitcher, who pitched 6 scoreless innings when the two teams met in late March, allowed 5 runs in 1 2/3rd innings in an impressive10-5 Pioneers victory on Thursday over the No.2 ranked team in Division 3.
"He was a different pitcher this time," Pioneers coach Jeff Albies said after the game. "We were able to get to him early."
WPU senior Pete Zaccheria, who had a scary moment in the 1st inning when he was struck by a pitch in the head, came through with a two-run single in the 2nd inning to give his team a 4-2 lead.
"I was a little worried about putting him back in the game, but I asked him how many fingers I was holding up. He said 2, even though I was holding up 3," Albies joked. "But he came through for us."
Zaccheria went 2-for-3 with 2 hits and a walk, and was more than happy to get a measure of revenge after being hit.
"If anything, it gave me added motivation," the outfielder from Parsippany said.
WPU led 5-2 going into the 6th, but TCNJ came back to tie the score. Senior Mike Bruschini hit an RBI double down the left field line, which was followed by junior Andrew Cosgrove's single, which plated 2 runs.
William Paterson came back in the bottom of the 6th with 2 runs, scoring on a bases loaded walk to 1st basemen Ryan Brand and a bases loaded suicide squeeze by catcher Don Hays.
The Pioneers then blew the game open with 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by junior Ted King's RBI double, which was misplayed by TCNJ leftfielder Dan Szepiga.
Junior Joe Grawehr (2-0) worked 4 scoreless innings in relief for the Pioneers, striking out 2. Junior starting pitcher Jason Blanks went 5 innings, allowing 4 earned runs with 6 walks and 1 strikeout. TCNJ senior Ryan Casey (1-1) took the loss for the Lions, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits and 6 walks.
The game did not go without some controversy. Pioneers 3rd basemen Mike Rivera did not like an aggressive slide into 3rd by TCNJ's Cosgrove in the 6th. Also, balls and strikes called by the home plate umpire were the subject of debate throughout the whole game.
"We lost a previous game on a controversial call by him." Albies said. "He called the game a bit better today, but only because I was on him all game."
The victory was the 818th in the long and successful career of Albies.
The victory pushes the Pioneers record to 23-11 and 10-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, while TCNJ falls to 27-5 and 9-5 in the conference.
The TCNJ sophomore pitcher, who pitched 6 scoreless innings when the two teams met in late March, allowed 5 runs in 1 2/3rd innings in an impressive10-5 Pioneers victory on Thursday over the No.2 ranked team in Division 3.
"He was a different pitcher this time," Pioneers coach Jeff Albies said after the game. "We were able to get to him early."
WPU senior Pete Zaccheria, who had a scary moment in the 1st inning when he was struck by a pitch in the head, came through with a two-run single in the 2nd inning to give his team a 4-2 lead.
"I was a little worried about putting him back in the game, but I asked him how many fingers I was holding up. He said 2, even though I was holding up 3," Albies joked. "But he came through for us."
Zaccheria went 2-for-3 with 2 hits and a walk, and was more than happy to get a measure of revenge after being hit.
"If anything, it gave me added motivation," the outfielder from Parsippany said.
WPU led 5-2 going into the 6th, but TCNJ came back to tie the score. Senior Mike Bruschini hit an RBI double down the left field line, which was followed by junior Andrew Cosgrove's single, which plated 2 runs.
William Paterson came back in the bottom of the 6th with 2 runs, scoring on a bases loaded walk to 1st basemen Ryan Brand and a bases loaded suicide squeeze by catcher Don Hays.
The Pioneers then blew the game open with 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by junior Ted King's RBI double, which was misplayed by TCNJ leftfielder Dan Szepiga.
Junior Joe Grawehr (2-0) worked 4 scoreless innings in relief for the Pioneers, striking out 2. Junior starting pitcher Jason Blanks went 5 innings, allowing 4 earned runs with 6 walks and 1 strikeout. TCNJ senior Ryan Casey (1-1) took the loss for the Lions, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits and 6 walks.
The game did not go without some controversy. Pioneers 3rd basemen Mike Rivera did not like an aggressive slide into 3rd by TCNJ's Cosgrove in the 6th. Also, balls and strikes called by the home plate umpire were the subject of debate throughout the whole game.
"We lost a previous game on a controversial call by him." Albies said. "He called the game a bit better today, but only because I was on him all game."
The victory was the 818th in the long and successful career of Albies.
The victory pushes the Pioneers record to 23-11 and 10-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, while TCNJ falls to 27-5 and 9-5 in the conference.
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