WAYNE, NJ - Sophomore first baseman Ryan Fandel (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and a two-run single while senior catcher Marc Hubbert (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Boro) finished 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a RBI to lead the College at Florham Devils to a 13-8 win over William Paterson in a game that ended during the top half of the eighth inning due to darkness.
With the win, the Devils improved to 2-0.
William Paterson scored one run in each of the first four innings to grab a 4-0 leading heading into the top of the fifth. That's when the Devils exploded for seven runs thanks to a RBI groundout by sophomore shortstop Steve Seminerio (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park), a RBI triple by junior outfielder Alex Sariyan (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills), Sariyan then scored on an error, a RBI single by senior third baseman Greg Geran (Brick, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) and the three-run bomb from Fandel. The Pioneers tied it at 7-7 in their half of the fifth before the Devils came back with three more runs in the sixth when Hubbert smacked a RBI single and Fandel came through with a two-run single to make it 10-7. William Paterson cut it to 10-8 in the bottom of the sixth but the Devils weren't done yet as they tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by sophomore designated hitter Matt Joiner (Hamilton, NJ/Nottingham) and a wild pitch that scored Sariyan. The Devils then went up 13-8 in the top of the eighth on a RBI single by Sariyan and FDU had the bases loaded with two outs when the game was called due to darkness.
Sariyan finished 2-for-4 with a triple, two stolen bases, three runs scored and two RBI. Senior second baseman Chris Baldino (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored while Seminerio was 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, a run scored and a RBI.
Junior pitcher Brandon Smith (Burlington, NJ/Pennington Prep) started the game and went three innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out three. Sophomore pitcher Jake Hazen (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) tossed the next two innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits to pick up the win. Sophomore pitcher Matt Mizerek (Matawan, NJ/Matawan) threw the final two innings and allowed one run on two hits to pick up the save.
The Devils return to action on Saturday, March 13, 2010, with the first two games of their Florida Spring Break Trip in Winter Haven, FL, against Albion beginning at 9 am and against Baldwin-Wallace beginning at 12:30 pm.