April 5, 2008
Box Score
Staten Island, NY - Wagner improved to 2-0 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) for the fourth-straight year with a dominating 3-0 win in game two of today's doubleheader at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. With the sweep, the Seahawks are now 9-12 and 2-0 in the NEC while the Blackbirds fall to 8-15 and 0-2 in conference play.
While the offense was the story in game one, it was the pitching that stole the show in game two.
Sophomore Kyle Morrison (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) hurled 6.0 innings of scoreless ball while striking out four and scattering just three hits and two walks to improve to 1-2 with his second career victory against LIU. The second-year righty also did not allow a runner to reach third all game.
After both teams traded zeros in the first two frames, Wagner got on the board in the third. Freshman Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) was plunked to lead off the inning. After classmate Brian Martutartus' (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) sac bunt moved Boyd to second, sophomore Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) singled through the left side before advancing to second on the throw home to give the Green & White a second-and-third one, out situation. Junior Chris Drechsel's (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) sacrifice fly to deep right plated Boyd. On the next pitch, Csakai stole home while freshman Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) reached via catcher's interference.
Playing small ball, the Green & White would add an insurance run in the fourth. Sophomore Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) led off with a bloop single to right. Classmate Kevin Payne (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter's) bunted McDonnell over to second before Boyd moved him over to third with a well-placed ground out to the right side. Martutartus then blasted a triple over the centerfielder's head to score McDonnell while making the score 3-0 Seahawks.
Morrison, meanwhile, was dealing through the first four innings facing just one over the minimum while fanning three.
LIU posted their first real threat of the game in the fifth. Eric Hinkle singled and Chris Kievit walked with one out. Morrison quelled the threat by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
In the sixth, the Blackbirds had runners on first-and-second with two outs in the sixth, but were stifled again when Morrison struck out Anthony Amatucci.
Hard-throwing righty Andrew Huebner (Jr., Hatfield, PA / North Penn) closed out LIU in the seventh, striking out the side for his fourth save of the year.
Avella recorded two hits while Csakai was 1-3 with a steal of home to lead Wagner offensively.
Staten Island native Kenny Cedel struck out five and gave up three runs over 6.0 innings in falling to 0-3. Eric Hinkle recorded two of LIU's three hits to pace the offense.
The two teams will conclude their four-game set tomorrow with a noon doubleheader.
