BOX SCORE

Dover, DE – Wagner (6-4) overcame an early 2-0 deficit with six unanswered run for a 6-2 come-from-behind win over Delaware State (6-9-1) in the first of two games at Soldier Field.

The Hornets struck for a first-inning run, using three-straight two-out singles, to take the early 1-0 lead before tacking on another run in the fourth on Abe Eubank's solo home run. Delaware State seemed poised to break the game open, loading the bases with one out. On the ensuing play, junior RHP Kyle Morrison (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) coaxed a lazy fly ball to center for the second out. Junior Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) threw home to senior Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford), who in turn fired down to third to catch the runner creeping down the line completing the unorthodox 8-2-5 double play.

The momentum carried over into the next half inning. Junior Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) led off the top of the fifth with a single to right field for Wagner's first hit of the game. Freshman Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) followed with a pinch-hit single on a rocket off the third baseman's glove. After Conforti nd Higgins advanced to second-and-third on a sacrifice bunt, sophomore Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) smashed a single to left field to tie the game up at 2-2. Csakai followed with a bunt single, moving Martutartus to second. Junior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) proceeded to give the Green & White the lead with a double to left field, scoring Martutartus.

Delaware State threatened in the Hornet half of the fifth, again loading the bases with one out. Morrison was again up to the task, striking out Ryne Mailen on three pitches before inducing an inning-ending ground out to Avella.

The Seahawks added three more runs to its lead in the top of the sixth. Drechsel led off with a four-pitch walk and Conforti followed with a bunt single. The pair was moved over to second-and-third on another sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) delivered Wagner's second pinch hit of the day, a single past a drawn in infield, scoring Drechsel and Conforti while extending the lead out to 5-2. After a strikeout, Csakai reached with his second infield hit of the game. Avella followed with his second double of the game off the leftfielder's glove, scoring Rice to make it 6-2.

Senior RHP Kevin Rush (Metuchen, NJ / Metuchen) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to close out the game for the Green & White.

Morrison improved to 3-1, striking out a career-best matching eight over 6.0 innings of work while scattering two runs on 11 hits and one intentional walk. Despite recording only one 1-2-3 inning, the hard-throwing righty retired the lead-off hitter in five times and left nine Hornets stranded on the base paths.

Josh Schmidt fell to 2-3 on the year, striking out six while yielding six runs.

Avella, Conforti and Csakai each recorded two hits to pace Wagner.

Ross Babineaux went 4-4 with a RBI to lead Delaware State.