BOX SCORE

Staten Island, NY – Rutgers (12-13) defeated Wagner (9-8) by a 5-1 count at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in the Seahawks' final tune-up before beginning Northeast Conference (NEC) play this weekend against Central Connecticut State University.

The Scarlet Knights never trailed and scored five runs on 10 hits as the Green & White managed just one run on five hits.

Rutgers opened up the scoring with a run in the first inning. Michael Lang walked to lead off the game before Pat Biserta followed with a RBI double to deep left field, plating Lang. The damage could have been worse though as Dan Batteridge singled to right field but on the play, Bisterta was thrown out at the plate. Jared Gruccio (So, Landisville, NJ / Buena Regional) hit junior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) with a perfect relay throw before Avella fired a strike to the plate. Wagner starter RHP AJ Pirozzi (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) then induced an inning-ending double play to end the inning.

In their first trip to bat, the Seahawks loaded the bases with no outs as Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold), Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) and Avella each drew walks. Csakai scored on a double play, tying the game up at 1-1.

The Scarlet Knights reclaimed the lead with on Luis Feliz's two-out RBI single in the fourth inning, scoring Betteridge to make it 2-1.

Rutgers added to the lead with two runs in the Scarlet Knights' next turn to the plate, using a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly while extending the lead to 4-1.

Pirozzi (0-2), who was making his second start after missing all of 2008, was solid over 5.0 innings, striking out two while yielding four runs on seven hits and just one walk.

In the sixth, sophomore Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) recorded Wagner's second hit of the game with a one-out double to left center, but was erased on a double play as Chris Drechsel (Sr., Cranford, NJ / Cranford) hit a line drive that was snared by Rutgers starter RHP Kyle Bradley, who then doubled up Lucas..

Bradley (2-1) was effectively wild, walking six with four strikeouts while yielding just one run on two hits over 6.0 innings.

Rutgers added one run in the top of the eighth, pushing the lead to 5-1.

Freshman Mark Holmes (Manalapan, NJ / Manalapan) relieved Pirozzi and was solid, striking out three while walking just one over 4.0 innings of one-run ball.

Sophomore Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy), Gruccio and freshman Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) all added hits for Wagner.

Lang, Betteridge and Russ Hopkins each recorded two hits on the day to lead the Scarlet Knights.

Wagner and CCSU begin their four-game set on Friday at 3:00 pm at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.