Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WAYNE, NJ – The #10 Rowan University baseball team swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader, 12-1 and 6-5 at William Paterson University on Saturday afternoon.
 
In the ninth inning of game two, shortstop Ryan Williams (jr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) hit a single to drive in right fielder Ryan Pavlik (jr. Blackwood, NJ/Highland Reg.) with the tying run. Williams advanced to second on the throw and went to third on a fly out by second baseman Mark Benak (sr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield). Third baseman Kevin McMenamin's (jr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) sacrifice fly to right field scored Williams with the go ahead run. Closer Carlos Ruiz (sr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) retired the Pioneers in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the victory.
 
Righty Nick Henderson (sr. Browns Mills, NJ/Pemberton Twp.) was the winning pitcher (1-0), throwing 0.2 innings of relief. Ruiz earned his second save after pitching a perfect ninth. Tom Gaccione (jr. Little Falls, NJ/Passaic Valley Reg.) (1-1) was on the losing end, allowing two runs on three hits in two innings pitched.
 
Benak went two for four with one double, two RBIs and two stolen bases. Williams had one hit, scored three runs, knocked one run in and stole a base. Pavlik scored two runs and stole one base.
 
Shortstop K.C. Abel (so. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) had two hits (five at bats) with one double and three RBIs. Left fielder Jimmy Kenny (so. Fairfield, NJ/West Essex Reg.) went two for five and right fielder Mike Rowe (fr. Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) recorded two hits in two at bats and scored two runs.
 
William Paterson took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI double by Abel. Catcher Connor Grant (sr. Shrewsbury, NJ/Red Bank Reg.) tied the game in the second with a RBI single. Center fielder Mike Abate (fr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) scored on an error in the bottom of the second for the Pioneers. Benak smacked a two-run double in the third to put Rowan ahead, 3-2. Abel knocked in two runs on a single in the fourth to give William Paterson a 4-3 advantage. McMenamin tied the contest in the fifth with a run scoring single. The Pioneers took the lead back when Rowe crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the sixth.
 
Rowan has a record of 14-4 and a 3-1 mark in the NJAC. William Paterson is 6-10 overall and is 1-2 in the conference.
 
Right-hander Ryan Easterday (jr. Westmont, NJ/Haddon Twp.) earned the game one victory. He (2-0) pitched seven innings, scattered seven hits and allowed one run. Kevin Cowan (jr. Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) suffered the loss (1-2), throwing 5.1 innings and giving up nine runs, eight earned on nine hits.
 
Pavlik had four hits (five at bats), one double, two runs scored and one RBI. Benak went three for five with a double, a home run, two runs scored and three knocked in. Williams had two hits, one double, three RBIs and scored twice. Grant was two for three, hit two doubles, scored one run and had two RBIs. First baseman Rich Powelson (jr. Shamong, NJ/Seneca) and left fielder Nick Kreiger (jr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) each scored twice.
 
Kenny had one hit in two at bats and scored a run. Catcher Mike Knauf (fr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) recorded one hit and one RBI.
 
Rowan scored six runs in the third to jump out in front. Grant hit a RBI double, Williams stroked a two-run single, Benak produced a RBI double and Perez singled to score Benak. McMenamin crossed the plate with the sixth run when Perez was caught stealing. Kreiger tallied an unearned run in the fourth for a 7-0 lead. Knauf put William Paterson on the scoreboard with a RBI single in the bottom of the fourth. In the sixth, the Profs made it 12-1, plating five runs. Grant scored Powelson with a double, Pavlik singled in Grant, Williams hit a RBI double and Benak slammed a two-run homer.
 
Rowan travels to Ramapo College on Sunday for a doubleheader at 11:30 a.m.