Passaic Valley extended their losing streak to four on Monday, dropping them down to 8-13-1. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 5-3 heartbreaker at the hands of the Wayne Valley Indians. The Hornets were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Indians apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in May of 2025.
Dante Benvenuti
| 04/08/26 vs Lakeland Regional | 4 |
| 05/11/26 @ Wayne Valley | 3 |
| 04/06/26 @ Lakeland Regional | 3 |
| 04/25/26 @ St. Mary | 2 |
| 04/22/26 vs Fair Lawn | 2 |
| + 12 more games |
Dante Benvenuti made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Passaic Valley's success: when he posts at least three hits the team is 2-1 (and 6-12-1 when he doesn't). Mike Liotti was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
As for Wayne Valley, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-12. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory they have posted since April 22nd.
On Wayne Valley's side, Justin Balestracci spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, Josh Gonzalez was incredible, going 1-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Aaron Fein, who went 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Coming up, Passaic Valley will face off against Clifton at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Wayne Valley will be paying especially close attention to the Hornets' contest: after the Hornets face off against the Mustangs, they'll take on Wayne Valley again at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
