BOX SCORE

New Britain, CT – No. 1 Wagner staved off elimination with a come-from-behind 6-5 win over No. 3 Central Connecticut State at the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament at New Britain Stadium. Junior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) hit a tie-breaking home run to left center leading off the bottom of the 10th inning as the Seahawks' bullpen stranded runners in scoring position in each of the last three frames. With the win, the Green & White snaps its five-game NEC Tournament losing streak while improving to 31-20 as the Blue Devils end their season with a 26-22 mark.

Senior RHP Andrew Huebner (Hatfield, PA / North Penn) picked up his first win of the year in relief, striking out three while yielding three hits and a walk over 2.1 scoreless frames.

Avella led the way going 3-5 with his school-record setting 33rd career home run, which was also his 16th of the year. Sophomore Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) also had a good game, going 3-4 with three RBI. Classmate Matt Logan (Wall, NJ / Wall) added two doubles and two runs while sophomore Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) notched a pair of hits.

Junior RHP Kyle Morrison (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) was sharp in the early going, retiring the first six batters he faced before running into trouble in the top of the third inning. Tommy Meade led off with a single before Sean Parker hit a two-run home run to center field, giving CCSU the early 2-0 lead.

Richie Tri extended the Blue Devil lead out to 3-0 with a solo home run to right field with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Wagner immediately got that run back in the top of the fifth with a lead-off home run to deep right center off the bat of sophomore Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy). Logan then blasted a double to right field. One out late, Lucas kept it going with a single up the middle, moving Logan to third. Martutartus cut the deficit to 3-2 with a line-drive single to left field. The Seahawks would continue to threaten, loading up the bases when junior Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township) was hit by a pitch. Blue Devil starter RHP Dan Markoya escaped further damage by recording his fifth strikeout of the game.

CCSU pushed the lead back out to 5-2 on solo home runs from Parker and Mitch Wells in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Green & White immediately answered with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Avella led off with a single to left field. After an out, Logan hit a double to left field, moving Avella to third. Then with two outs Lucas singled to right field, plating Avella while moving Logan to third. Lucas advanced to second on a passed ball and Wagner took advantage of the Blue Devil miscue as Martutartus blooped a two-run single to left field, scoring Logan and Lucas while tying the game up at 5-5.

In the top of the eighth, Avella led off with a double but was stranded there after CCSU reliever Donny White induced three fly outs. The Blue Devils then chased Morrison and had runners on the corners with one out. Lefty relief specialist sophomore David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) entered and struck out the red-hot Tri on four pitches before Huebner induced an inning-ending fly out.

Both teams threatened in the ninth inning before Wagner broke through with Avella's eventual game-winning home run.

Anthony Scaildone led off the 10th inning with a single but would not advance past second base as Huebner closed out the game with a strikeout of Tommy Meade.

Parker went 3-3 with two home runs and three RBI, leading the way on offense for the Blue Devils. He was also saddled with the loss, giving up one run with one strikeout over 1.1 innings of work.

Both starter turned in solid performances with Morrison striking out four while yielding five runs on nine hits over 7.1 innings of work. Markoya struck out five while not walking a batter and allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits over 7.0 innings.

The Seahawks return to action tomorrow at 12:00 pm.