BOX SCORE

Staten Island, NY - Wagner scored the first five runs of the game before holding off a late Long Island rally in a 5-4 victory in game one of today's doubleheader at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. The Seahawks improve to 5-9 and 2-0 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) with their third-straight victory while the Blackbirds fall to 2-14 and 0-2 in the NEC.

Trailing 5-0 after three innings, LIU rallied to plate three runs with two outs in the top of the fourth before closing to within one at 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning. The Blackbirds had the tying and go ahead runs on first-and-second with one out in the top of the seventh inning before junior RHP Ian Karlsson (Brooklyn, NY / Xaverian) entered and promptly struck out the last two batters for his first save of the year.

For the second-straight game, Wagner jumped all over LIU in the first inning, plating four runs while sending eight men to the plate. Senior Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township) led off with a walk before moving over to second on Junior Kevin McDonnell's (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) one-out opposite-field single. Senior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) then blasted a double down left field line, plating Csakai and McDonnell for the first two runs. Junior Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) followed with an infield single to third base while moving Avella up a base. After Higgins stole second, freshman Gaby Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico / Perkiomen (PA)) plated Avella against a drawn in infield with a single off the second baseman's glove. Junior Joe Jamison (West Caldwell, NJ / James Caldwell) concluded the scoring with a RBI groundout, giving the Seahawks a 4-0 lead.

The Green & White added to the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Avella led off with a line-drive single off the third baseman's glove. Ramirez then doubled with Avella scoring on an errant throw by the rightfielder, extending the lead out to 5-0.

The Blackbirds got back in the game in the top of the fourth inning with three two-out runs. Julian Castro's RBI single cut the deficit to 5-1 before Gerard Tingos made it 5-3 with a two-run bases loaded single up the middle.

LIU inched to within one at 5-4 with a run in the top of the sixth inning while chasing starter RHP Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell). Tito Marrero led off with a double before moving over to third a Castro sacrifice bunt. Junior LHP David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) entered and induced the last two outs while keeping the Blackbirds at bay.

After allowing two runners in the top of the seventh, Rees was lifted and Karlsson retired the last two batters to give the Wagner its ninth-straight win over LIU.

Avella went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, leading an eight-hit Seahawk attack. Ramirez also went 2-for-3 with RBI while junior Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) was a perfect 2-for-2 with a double.

Watson (1-2) won his eighth-straight NEC game, striking out three while yielding four earned runs on seven hits and a walk.

Leading the way for LIU was Staten Island native Tingos, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double while Marrero also had a good game, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs. Blackbird starter LHP Adam Sauter (0-3) took the loss, striking out six while yielding five runs, four earned, on eight hits and a walk.