March 25, 2007
Box Score
Richmond, VA - VCU (15-9) defeated Wagner (3-10) 8-5 earlier today at the Diamond to cap off a three-game sweep. The Green & White jumped out to the early 3-0 lead only to see the home-standing Rams score six unanswered runs over the next two innings while holding off numerous Seahawk-rallies.
The Seahawks offense was on fire rapping out 13 hits and six walks as every starting-regular reached base safely. Wagner however was unable to capitalize stranding 15 runners compared to just five for the Rams.
The two teams exchanged zeros for the first three frames before the Seahawks struck for three fourth-inning runs. Following a groundout to open the inning, freshman Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) singled to left field. Classmate Joe Conforti's (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) followed up with a single of his own through the right side to give the Green & White a first and third one-out situation. Senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) brought home Csakai with a sacrifice fly to center to put Wagner up 1-0. Sophomore Peter Delleani (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) then smoked his seventh double of the year to right center, scoring Conforti all the way from first. Senior Matt Mastrianni (Ringoes, NJ / Hunterdon Central) capped the three-run inning singling home Delleani.
VCU would answer the Seahawks in the bottom part of the inning scoring three runs, two earned, on two hits, a walk and an error. In the bottom of the fifth, the Rams scored three more to go up 6-3. The Rams used four softly-hit singles and a wind-aided double to score the three runs.
Wagner would threaten again in the top of the sixth as Conforti singled to open the frame and advanced to second on a ground out before Delleani singled to put runners on first and third. Mastrianni however grounded into a controversial double-play to quell the threat.
The Seahawks would not go away though as they loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and got one run back when Conforti was hit by a pitch to force in freshman Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA).
The Rams responded with two runs in the bottom part of the inning to go up 8-4. Wagner would not go away though as in the top of the eighth Avella ripped his second hit of the day, a single through the left side to score his former high school teammate Delleani. That would be as close as Wagner would get as reliever Luke Pisker escaped his second-straight jam with a strikeout before recording a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth.
Freshman AJ Pirozzi (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) was the tough-luck loser, yielding seven earned runs while striking out four and walking just one over a career-high 6.2 innings.
Conforti, Delleani, Mastrianni, Avella and sophomore Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) each had two hits to pace the Seahawk offensive-unit. Senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) also extended his season-opening hitting streak to 13 and his overall streak to 15 games.
Chris Jackson and John Leonard combined for five hits, four RBI and three runs to lead VCU. Bill Wieland improved to 2-1 on the year after starting and going 5.0 innings. Piskar struck out five in 2.2 innings for his fourth save of the year.
The Seahawks are next in action on Wednesday when they head to Big East rival St. John's for a 3 pm tilt.
