March 9, 2007

Box Score

Baltimore, MD - The Wagner Seahawks ninth-inning rally fell just short as the Green & White dropped a 4-2 decision to UMBC earlier today. With the loss the Seahawks fall to 1-3 on the season while the Retrievers improve to 2-5.

UMBC started off quickly as their first two hitters singled before Scott Peddicord doubled both of them home to give the home team the early 2-0 lead. From that point on freshman starter Bobby Tretola (Union, NJ / Roselle Catholic) settled down striking out the side to quell the rally on his way to pitching 6.0 dominating innings. He gave up three runs, just two earned, while striking out four against no walks in his first collegiate start.

The Green & White got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth when senior Ed Sudol (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) singled to right field on a 0-2 pitch, plating classmate Matt Mastrianni (Ringoes, NJ / Hunterdon Central), who doubled to left field with one out, to cut the lead to 2-1.

The Retrievers got that run back in the bottom of the sixth as they parlayed a couple of singles and an error into a sacrifice fly off the bat of Mark Lemon.

Wagner had a chance to tie the game in the top of the eighth as senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) ripped a two-out double, his second hit of the day, and Mastrianni walked before Sudol was coaxed into a rally-killing ground out.

UMBC would tack on one more run to make it 4-1 heading into the top of the ninth inning. Sophomore Peter Delleani (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) led off the inning with a double off the left field wall. After advancing to third on a passed ball, he was brought home by freshman Kevin McDonnell's (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) single to center field to make it 4-2 with no outs. However that was as close as Wagner would get UMBC closer Rob Hendry retired the next three Seahawks in order to pick up the save. Tretola was the tough-luck loser falling to 0-1 on the season

Morvay led the Seahawks going 3-4 with three singles while DiGeronimo had two hits and Mastrianni went 1-2 with two walks and a run.

UMBC starter Steve Evans improved to 1-0 on the season, striking out three and yielding one run on seven hits in 8.0 innings of work.

Each team rapped out nine hits, including three doubles.

The Seahawks and the Retrievers will take the field tomorrow at 3:30 pm in game two of their three-game set.