April 3, 2007
Box Score
Piscataway, NJ - Rutgers starting pitcher Jon McCue shut down a Wagner-offense that was red-hot entering today's game, yielding six hits and striking out four over 8.0 scoreless innings in the Scarlet Knights' 6-0 win. Rutgers improves to 14-12 with the win while the Seahawks fall to 4-15.
The Scarlet Knights scored their six runs on nine hits and were aided by nine walks and two Seahawks errors. Wagner, meanwhile, managed just six singles. After committing the two first-inning errors the defense was nearly flawless the rest of the way, highlighted by three double plays.
The Seahawks appeared poised to break through early as former high school teammates, sophomore Peter Delleani (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) and freshman Vin Avella (Manalapan, NJ / CBA) ripped singles to give the Green & White a two-on two-out situation in the first. Senior Matt Mastrianni (Ringoes, NJ / Hunterdon Central) followed with a looping fly ball that was just barely tracked down by the left fielder.
Rutgers got on the board in the bottom of the inning as Todd Frazier, a projected first round pick for the upcoming Major League Draft, walked before stealing second. He then advanced to third base on a groundout and scored on a failed pick-off attempt.
The Seahawks next scoring opportunity came in the third when senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) singled through the left side with one out to extend his hitting streak to 21. DiGeronimo stole second base despite going on a pitch out and advanced to third base on a fly out. Avella then blasted a line-drive that would most likely have gone for extra-bases if it wasn't hit right at the third baseman, quelling the threat.
Rutgers would add to their lead in the fifth inning with two runs on three hits and a walk. The Scarlet Knights added another run in the seventh on a double-steal. During this time McCue settled down after allowing four hits in the first three innings, retiring 15 straight at one point.
In the eighth, sophomore Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) belted a single to left field on the first pitch and freshman Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) advanced him to second with a base hit to right field on a 3-2 pitch. However the one-out rally would end there as Wagner grounded into an inning-ending double-play.
Rutgers scored two more insurance-runs in the bottom of the eighth and reliever Chris Lillis set down the Seahawks in order in to the top of the ninth to close out the game.
Freshman Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) fell to 0-2 on the year, giving up three runs, two earned, over 5.0 innings. McCue moved to 2-0 with the win.
Donny Callahan led Rutgers going 2-2 with a double and two runs scored.
The Seahawks now head to Long Island for their conference-opening series beginning on Thursday at 2 pm with a nine-inning single game.
