BOX SCORE

Staten Island, NY – Wagner struck for six unanswered runs on the way to a 7-5 come-from-behind win over Fairleigh Dickinson in the second game of a doubleheader at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. With the victory, the Seahawks improve to 29-19 and a league-best 16-9 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while the Knights fall to 16-33 and 11-16 in the NEC.

The Green & White are now atop the conference standings at 16-9 while guaranteeing themselves a share of their first-ever Regular Season Championship. A win tomorrow would give Wagner the title outright while a loss would drop them into a tie with Sacred Heart and possibly Monmouth. The Hawks and Central Connecticut play tomorrow at 1:00 pm. A Blue Devils win would give them the fourth and final NEC Tournament berth while a loss means that defending NEC Champ Mount St. Mary's would qualify.

Senior Andrew Huebner (Hatfield, PA / North Penn) saved his school-record 13th game of the year with a scoreless seventh inning while junior Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) swiped his 90th career base, equaling former Atlanta Brave farmhand Joe Francisco's school-mark.

The Seahawks scored the game's first run on a Seth Boyd (So., Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, plating Csakai. The Knights then went on the offensive, scoring a run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly before plating four runs in a sloppy fourth inning that featured three Wagner errors.

The Green & White came back with two two-out runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) drew a one-out walk. Classmate Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) then blooped a single to right field. After Fairleigh Dickinson starter RHP Nicholas Melchiorre recorded a strikeout, Csakai picked up the two-out RBI with a single to left field, plating Lucas. On the ensuing play, Martutartus and Csakai executed a double steal before Martutartus scampered home on a throwing error by the catcher, cutting the deficit to 5-3.

The Seahawks got another run back in the bottom of the fifth on a Chris Drechsel (Sr., Cranford, NJ / Cranford) fielder's choice that plated junior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA).

After holding off a sixth-inning Knight rally, Wagner made its push in the bottom of the sixth. Lucas reached on a fielding error. Martutartus then singled pinch-runner Brian Battaglia (Howell, NJ / Howell) to second. Junior Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) loaded them up with a walk, battling back from a 0-2 count. After a force play at the plate, Gruccio notched a bases-clearing double over the left fielder's head, scoring Martutartus, Conforti and Csakai while giving the Green & White an insurmountable 7-5 lead.

Gruccio led the way on offense going 3-4 with a three-run double while Csakai and Martutartus each recorded multiple-hits.

Sophomore LHP David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) picked up his first career win after retiring one batter to end the top of the sixth. Classmate RHP Ian Karlsson (Brooklyn, NY / Xaverian) was solid out of the bullpen, firing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Joe Martino went 3-4 with two runs to lead the way for Fairleigh Dickinson. Melchiorre (2-8) took the loss, giving up seven runs, four earned, on 10 hits and two walks while striking out six.

The teams conclude their series tomorrow at 1:00 pm. Prior to the game senior Drechsel, Huebner and Kevin Rush (Metuchen, NJ / Metuchen) will be honored.