March 11, 2008
Box Score
Philadelphia, PA - Wagner scored two runs in the top of the ninth and used a dominating pitching performance from a trio of underclassmen to notch a 5-3 win over Villanova out of the Big East Conference at the Villanova Ballpark. With the victory, the Seahawks move to .500 on the year at 3-3 while the Wildcats fall to 3-8.
Sophomore RHP Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) picked up his first win of the year to even his record at 1-1 after hurling 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. Classmate and starter RHP Kyle Morrison (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) put the Green & White in position to win by tossing 6.0 solid innings, striking out eight and yielding just three runs on five hits and a walk. Morrison's former high school teammate freshman LHP Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) entered in the ninth and set Villanova down in order for his first career save while extending his scoreless streak to 7.1 innings to start his collegiate career.
Wagner pitchers coaxed Villanova hitters into six 1-2-3 innings while allowing just two walks. The Wildcat pitchers on the other hand walked nine Seahawk hitters and allowed the Green & White to put runners on base in every inning but the fifth. Additionally, Villanova's defense committed two errors that led to three unearned runs while Wagner's defense was immaculate, not committing a single error.
The Seahawks manufactured a first inning run to take a quick 1-0 lead. Sophomore Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) led off with a walk. He then stole second and scored on an error by the third baseman.
Morrison cruised through the first three innings, retiring the first nine batters he faced in order, including four via the K.
Villanova's offense would show signs of life in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third and one out, James Dolbier singled through the right side to tie the game up at 1-1. On the play Dan Terpak tried to score from second and give the Wildcats the lead, but he was gunned out by sophomore Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) from right field.
With the score evened up in the sixth inning, sophomore Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) blasted a two-run home run down the left field line to break a 1-1 tie. Freshman Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) scored on the play, after singling to lead off the frame.
That lead would not last the inning as Villanova put two on the board via a two-run triple from Dolbier to tie it up at 3-3.
With score still even in the bottom of the eighth, the Wildcats had a runner on third with one out but were unable to push the run across as Watson forced Derek Shunk into a fielder's choice to maintain the tie heading into the ninth.
In the ninth, Csakai and freshman Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) each walked to lead off the frame. The pair was sacrificed into scoring position by Lucas. Then following Avella's second-straight intentional walk, Csakai scored on an error by the third baseman. McDonnell followed with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead out to 5-3 and for all intents and purposes give Wagner its second-straight win.
Avella led the Wagner offense, going 2-3 with a two-run home run and two intentional walks.
Gus Guida (0-1) took the loss, giving up two unearned runs over 1.2 innings. Dolbier finished 2-4 with all three RBI for Villanova.
NOTES: The top eight hitters in the Seahawk line-up all reached base safely ... The No. 5-9 hitters for Villanova went a combined 0-16 with six strikeouts ... Over its last two games (Temple, Villanova) Wagner has committed just one error, compared to seven by the opposition ... This has led to an 8-1 differential in unearned runs with the Green & White being the beneficiary ... Wagner has defeated schools from the Sun Belt, Atlantic 10 and Big East Conferences ... The Green & White will face three more teams from the Big East this season (Rutgers, Seton Hall and St. John's).
