April 15, 2006
Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, NY -Junior rhp Dan Lanzano (E. Brunswick, NJ / E. Brunswick) picked up his second save of the year, striking out five in 2.2 hitless innings in helping the Seahawks to a 4-2 win. With the victory Wagner took the series, winning two of the three and improving to 7-23 overall and 6-3 in the NEC while Sacred Heart drops to 14-20 overall and 7-5 in the NEC.
Lanzano entered in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third with one out and the Seahawks clinging to a 4-2 lead. He promptly struck out the next two hitters on 3-2 counts to preserve the lead and end any chance the Pioneers might have had to tie the game.
The Seahawks' offense was non-existent for most of the game as Pioneer pitching limited Wagner to just three hits. However, Wagner capitalized on two Sacred Heart errors using an array of sacrifice hits and clutch hitting.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the third, senior Michael Picarello (Clifton, NJ / Clifton) walked to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to second by freshman Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford). Classmate Pete Delleani (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) then drew the second free pass of the inning to give Wagner runners at first and second and one out. Junior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) then hit into what appeared to be an inning-ending double-play until the third baseman booted the ball allowing Picarello to score and Delleani to move to third base. Senior Nick Papa (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1 Wagner.
Sacred Heart answered in the top of the fourth, tying the game up at 2-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, Picarello led off with a single for Wagner's first hit of the game. Drechsel followed with a walk giving the Seahawks runners at first and second and no outs. Delleani then executed a sacrifice bunt and on the play the Sacred Heart catcher tried to get Picarello at third, but instead uncorked an errant throw that went out of play allowing Picarello to score. DiGeronimo, as he has done all year, came up big on the next at bat lacing a single to center field scoring Drechsel, who had advanced to third on the previous play, giving the Seahawks a 4-2 lead.
That would be it for the scoring as both teams allowed a combined three hits the rest of the way.
Freshman Andrew Huebner (Hatfield, PA / North Penn) picked up his first collegiate win, improving to 1-3, striking out five and allowing two runs in 6.0 strong innings. Chris Howard was the tough-luck loser for Sacred Heart giving up four runs, one earned, on two hits in 4.0 innings.
Picarello led Wagner offensively going 1-2 with two runs and a walk while Drechsel was 1-1 with a run and a walk.
The Seahawks are now tied for second place in the NEC at 6-3 with Quinnipiac and return to action on Tuesday, April 18 when they host NYIT, starting at 3:30 pm.
