BOX SCORE

New Britain, CT - No. 1 Wagner lost a controversial 14-8 decision to No. 4 Monmouth in the opening game of the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament at New Britain Stadium. Trailing 6-1 in the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out, junior Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township) laced a fly ball to deep right center. The rightfielder then dove for the ball and one umpire called it a hit and one called it out. The Seahawks cleared the bases while the Hawks tagged second and first, claiming the ball was caught and the runners had left early. The umpires then convened and ruled that ball was caught and the runners at first and second were out, resulting in a triple play.

Though the Green & White cut the deficit to one on two different occasions, Wagner could not overcome a pair of six-run Hawk frames. Wagner did rap out 12 hits as eight of the nine Seahawk starters hit safely. Sophomore Matt Logan (Wall, NJ / Wall) went 2-5 with a triple and three RBI while classmate Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) was also 2-5 with a double and two runs. Rounding out the multiple-hit performers for the Green & White were junior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) and sophomore Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown), who each notched a pair of singles.

Wagner sees its five-game winning streak snapped in falling to 30-20 while Monmouth improves to 30-23.

Monmouth struck first in today's game, getting to RHP Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) in the top of the second inning for six runs on five hits and one big error while sending 11 batters to the plate.

Hawks RHP Brett Brach, meanwhile, was cruising along having retired the first 10 batters he faced before plunking sophomore Jared Gruccio (Landisville, NJ / Buena Regional) with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) then drew a full-count walk, moving Gruccio over to second. After Brach induced a lazy fly out, Logan put the Green & White on the scoreboard with a RBI single to left field, plating Gruccio.

Wagner got another run on Csakai's triple play fly out in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the deficit to 6-2. By rule, because the play was not appealed at third base on the triple play, Lucas was credited with scoring the Seahawks' second run.

Monmouth got that run back in the top of the sixth inning on a Chris Collazo two-out RBI double.

The Green & White finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning, plating four runners on three hits while chasing Brach. Gruccio was hit by a pitch, before moving over to second on an Avella single through the left side. Brach then exited and Boyd greeted Nick Meyers with a RBI single through the right side, plating Gruccio while moving Avella to third and advancing to second on the throw. Logan brought the pair around with his first career triple to center field, cutting the Seahawk deficit to 7-5. Senior Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) brought it to within one at 7-6 with a sacrifice fly to left field, plating Logan.

After giving up those six runs with one out in the top of the second, Watson settled down yielding just one run over his last five innings of work while giving the Seahawks a chance to come back.

Monmouth tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning on a Paul Bottigliero RBI double only to see the Seahawks answer with a two-out RBI single off the bat of Drechsel, plating Boyd, who had doubled with one out.

Unfortunately, that would be as close as Wagner would get as Monmouth scored six runs on three hits while sending 10 batters to the plate in the top of the ninth. The Seahawks would get one run in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to get any closer.

Watson had his eight game winning streak snapped in defeat, falling to 9-2 while giving up seven runs, six earned, on nine hits with one strikeout.

Brach (7-2) won his first NEC Tournament game, striking out three while yielding four runs on four hits and one walk.

The Green & White return to action tomorrow at New Britain Stadium at 12:00 pm against Central Connecticut State in an elimination game.