Somerset, NJ – Wagner freshman
Mike Pirrotta was named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Baseball Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.
For Pirrotta, this makes the first time in his young Seahawk career that he has garnered a weekly award from the NEC. The neophyte reliever is the first Wagner pitcher to receive the award this season and first since teammate,
Neil Abbatiello garnered Pitcher of the Week honors back on May 22, 2017.
Additionally, the Howell, NJ native is the fourth Seahawk this season to capture a weekly honor, joining sophomore designated hitter,
Freddy Sabido, who was tabbed NEC Player of the Week last week (April 2), along with senior outfielder,
Anthony Godino (March 19) and junior catcher
Phil Capra, who was named Co-Player of the Week back on March 12.
Pirrotta picked up a win and a save during a pair of appearances last week. Pitching to an 0.00 ERA, the rookie righty logged six innings of two-hit ball during his best two-game stretch yet. He fanned six batters, registering a trio of strikeouts in each of the outings.
The former Freehold Township standout was the starter in Wagner's 4-2 mid-week win over Big East member, Seton Hall. He surrendered a single and a walk in the first inning, but worked out of a one-out jam by inducing a flyout followed by a strikeout. He was charged with one unearned run in the second frame, but escaped further damage by fanning the Pirates' No. 3 hitter for the third out. He fired a 1-2-3 third inning and exited with a 4-1 lead.
Coming out of the bullpen to close out the series finale against Mount St. Mary's, the freshman allowed one base on balls over three innings of work to earn a save. Pirrotta retired the final five batters in a row to complete the four-game series sweep.
In addition to Pirrotta, senior outfielder
Kyle Cala was recognized by the league as a Week 8 #NECPrimePerformer. Cala was a key catalyst in helping Wagner go 5-0 this week, which included a 4-2 mid-week victory over Big East member Seton Hall. Over the five-game span, Cala led the Seahawk offense with .563 batting average, which included a pair of home runs on nine hits while driving in five RBIs.
The Brick, NJ native posted a total OPS of 1.713, highlighted by a slugging percentage of 1.063 while posting an on-base % of .650. At Seton Hall on April 4, Cala went 3-for-4 and drove in two of Wagner's four runs in helping the Seahawks halt a seven-game losing streak against the Pirates.
In Friday's game one against Mount St. Mary's, Cala belted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to give Wagner a 7-6 victory over the Mountaineers. The veteran outfielder's blast, his first of the season, came off Mount's Michael Kuypers on a 2-0 pitch leading off the bottom of the ninth with the score tied at 6-6. Cala had gotten Wagner on the board in the bottom of third with an RBI ground out.
In the nightcap, Cala went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, as he delivered an RBI double to left center and moved to third on the throw home.
In the lidlifter on April 7, with the teams tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, junior CF
Joe Silvestrone took an 0-2 pitch back up the middle, scoring Cala as the Seahawks took a 2-1 lead and hung on for the win.
In the series finale, a 9-3 victory for Wagner, Cala added two more hits and scored twice while driving in his fifth RBI of the week, connecting on his second round-tripper in the bottom of the seventh.
Follow us: #CHAOSonthehill
Wagner Athletics:
Wagner Baseball:
Wagner Gameday:
