WAYNE, N.J. – The Manhattanville baseball team dropped a 10-4 non-conference battle to William Paterson on Tuesday afternoon at Jeff Albies Field.

The Valiants allowed three runs in the fifth inning to give the hosts a 5-3 edge, and the Pioneers never relinquished that advantage.  William Paterson first baseman Adam Derner led the team with four runs batted in and a home run, as the Valiants struggled on the mound in the late innings and allowed Paterson to secure the win.

The Valiants scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning, as sophomore Raul Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y./DeWitt Clinton) scored off a double play and then junior Chris Nardozzi (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) singled to center field to score sophomore John Bucci (Port Chester, N.Y./Port Chester).

In the sixth inning, sophomore Matt Petrunti (East Granby, Conn./Loomis-Chaffee) scored on a passed ball, to cut the deficit to 5-3. In the following inning, sophomore Sean Ferguson (Astoria, N.Y./Xavier) singled to center field to score classmate Johnny LoVetere (Southbury, Conn./Canterbury), but that was all the offense the Valiants could muster.

Senior Chad Wallace (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) started on the mound for the Valiants in a spot start and lasted three innings, allowing three runs (two earned). Five other Valiants touched the mound on the afternoon, with junior Donny Pitasi (Mount Kisco, N.Y./Fox Lane) allowing three runs (one earned) over the next 1.2 innings and suffering the loss.  

Chris Mongelli pitched five strong innings for the Pioneers and was credited with the win.

Manhattanville (8-4, 1-2 Freedom) will host Delaware Valley College on Friday afternoon at Manhattanville Field in a Freedom Conference contest at 3:30 p.m.