March 31, 2007
Box Score
Williamsburg, VA - William & Mary (17-13) scored three runs in the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie on their way to the 8-5 win over Wagner (4-12) in game one of today's doubleheader. The Seahawks were trailing for most of the game before coming back to take a seventh-inning lead. However the lead would be short-lived as the Tribe scored four unanswered runs to take the game.
The Tribe took the early lead when Tim Park singled to lead off the first and reigning CAA Player of the Week Brent McWhorter followed with a two-run home run to right center to put the Tribe up 2-0. The Seahawks would threaten in the first three innings before finally breaking through in the fourth. Freshman Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) continued his hot hitting of late by singling home senior Matt Mastrianni (Ringoes, NJ / Hunterdon Central), who had walked earlier in the frame, to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Tribe would add to their lead in the fifth inning when Greg Sexton hit his team-best seventh home run of the year, a two-run shot to left-center, making it 4-1. Wagner would respond immediately in the top of the sixth. Following a fly out freshman Vin Avella (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) walked and McDonnell also drew a free pass. After a ground out Avella scored on a balk and McDonnell moved up to third. Freshman Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) then received a free pass of his own and then stole second before advancing to third on an errant throw that allowed McDonnell to score. Freshman Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) followed with a single on a hard-hit drive to third to score Csakai and even the score at four.
Wagner would then take their first lead of the game in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Pete Delleani (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) laced a ground rule double to left center and then moved to third on a failed pick-off attempt by the pitcher. Senior Ed Sudol (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) scored Delleani on a sacrifice fly to center field to give Wagner their first lead of the day at 5-4.
The lead would be short-lived as William & Mary scored on a ground out to tie the game up at 5-5 in the bottom of the inning. Seahawk-reliever freshman Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) escaped further damage as he induced a weak pop-up before striking out the final batter of the frame with the bases loaded.
In the top of the eighth, Csakai reached safely for the fifth-straight time in the game with his third-hit of the day, a single to right field with one out. Following a strikeout Csakai stole second before senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) singled sharply through the right side to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. On the play Csakai tried to score but was thrown out by the right fielder to quell the scoring-threat.
The Tribe loaded the bases again in the bottom of the inning and once again fell victim to the bat of McWhorter as he blasted a two-run single up the middle to put the home team up 7-5. The Tribe would add one more run before closing out the Seahawks in the top of the ninth inning.
Watson (0-1) gave up four runs in one inning to take the loss while Pete Vernon (5-2) struck out three over three scoreless innings to pick up the win.
Seahawk-starter freshman Bobby Tretola (Union, NJ / Roselle Catholic) left with the lead after hurling 6.0 solid innings with three strikeouts and yielded just four runs.
The Seahawks scored their five runs on seven hits and 11 walks, but left 10 runners on base. Csakai was 3-3 with a double, stolen base and two walks while Avella got four of the 11 Seahawk-walks to lead the Wagner-offense.
The Tribe was paced by the trio of Park, McWhorter and Sexton as they combined to go 7-11 with six runs, six RBI and two home runs.
