BOX SCORE

Charlottesville, VA – Playing their second game in eight hours the Wagner Seahawks showed they were up to the challenge against nationally ranked and undefeated Virginia before falling 5-2 at Davenport Field. The Green & White had runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings with nobody out but could not convert against the nation's last remaining undefeated team.

In defeat, Wagner (5-3) sees its five-game winning streak snapped while Virginia moves to a perfect 18-0.

The game was equally contested with the Seahawks recording its two runs on six hits and four walks.. The Wagner pitcher-unit was solid limiting the high-octane Cavalier offense, that is hitting a blistering .388, to just five runs, three earned, on nine hits and just two walks.

Virginia struck first for an unearned run in the bottom of the second. John Bivens walked with one out before stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw. Franco Valdes followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Bivens for the game's first run.

Wagner answered immediately with two runs in the top of the third. Freshman Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) drew a four-pitch walk with one out. He moved over to third on a single to right field by sophomore Jared Gruccio (Landisville, NJ / Buena Regional). Junior Damian Csakai (Freehhold, NJ / Freehold) tied the game at 1-1 with a line-drive single to left. Classmate Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) drew a walk to load up the bases before Joe Jamison (West Caldwell, NJ / James Caldwell) gave the Green & White their first lead of the game at 2-1 with a RBI groundout, scoring Gruccio.

The lead was short-lived as the Cavaliers notched another unearned run in the bottom of the third. Keith Werman led off with a single to left-center. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before heading to third on a passed ball. After senior RHP Andy Wells (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter's) struck out Jared King following a lengthy at-bat for the second out, Phil Gosselin singled to center, bringing around Werman while tying it up at 2-2.

Wells exited after 3.0 outstanding innings of work, striking out four while yielding just two unearned runs on three hits and a walk.

The two teams would trade zeros over the next until the bottom of the sixth when Virginia reclaimed the lead at 3-2 on John Hicks' two-out pinch-hit RBI single to center field.

The resilient Seahawks would not go away. Sophomore Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) doubled to lead off the top of the seventh. He moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt by Higgins. However, Martutartus was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to third, for the second out. Gruccio, who reached via a fielder's choice following a lengthy at bat, stole second on the ensuing play but would not advance any further.

The Cavaliers added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly after loading the bases with nobody out. In the top of the eighth, Avella and Jamison led off with singles. Junior Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, giving the Green & White a second-and-third one out situation. Virginia closer Kevin Arico was up to the challenge, striking out the next two batters to quell the Wagner rally.

Steven Proscia hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the eighth, to provide the final 5-2 tally as the Green & White went in order in the top of the ninth.

Shane Halley (1-0) picked up the win for Virginia, striking out four while walking one over 2.2 innings of work. Sophomore LHP Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) yielded two runs over 3.1 innings in falling to 0-1.

Seven different starters reached base safely for the Green & White, led by senior Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ ./ Cranford), who went 1-2 with two walks.

Three different Cavaliers recorded multiple-hits, led by Gosselin, who was 2-3 with two RBI.

Wagner returns to action on Friday, March 20 with a 2:30 pm tilt at Delaware State.