BOX SCORE

South Orange, NJ - Wagner scored five two-out runs and freshman Christian Rautenstrauch (Charlotte, NC / Providence Day) struck out a career-high eight while not walking a batter over 5.2 innings in a 7-6 victory over Seton Hall in non-conference action at Owen T. Carroll Field. With their fifth win in six games, the Seahawks even their record at 13-13 while the Pirates fall to 13-17.

The Green & White have now won three-straight games against Big East opponents dating back to last year and are 5-4 over the last three years against the BCS conference. Wagner has also won back-to-back games against Seton Hall and are 4-2 against the Pirates since the 2005 season.

The Seahawks assumed an early lead with two first-inning runs. Junior Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) singled with two outs through the right side. Senior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) pushed McDonnell over to third with a single up the middle. Sophomore Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) made it 1-0 Green & White with a run-scoring single through the right side. Junior Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) kept up the two-out surge, loading up the bases with an infield single while reaching base safely for the ninth-straight appearance (8 hits, 1 HBP). Avella then scored on a passed ball, capping scoring.

Seton Hall tied the game up in the bottom of the second inning with three hits and a passed ball. Sean Gusrang led off with a double before Scott Kalamar plated him with a run-scoring double to right center. After advancing to third on Giuseppe Papaccio's single to shallow right, Kalamar scored on a passed ball, making it a 2-2 game.

The score would remain tied until the top of the sixth inning. Higgins led off with a hard-fought single through the left side. Following an out, junior Jared Gruccio (Landisville, NJ / Buena Regional) was hit by a pitch. Classmate Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) gave Wagner a 3-2 lead with a run-scoring double down the left-field line while chasing reliever Greg Terhune. Freshman Gaby Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico / Perkiomen (PA)) extended the lead out to 4-2 with a RBI groundout before senior Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township) doubled to left field, scoring Lucas to make it a 5-2.

The Pirates immediately responded with two runs in the bottom part of the frame. Rautenstrauch struck out the first three batters in the frame but allowed Gusrang to reach via a wild pitch on his second K. Following another strikeout, Kalamar singled through the right side. Papaccio got Seton Hall to within two at 5-3 with a RBI single while chasing Rautenstrauch. Following a walk, Chris Fontnelli plated Kalamar with an infield single, while keeping the bases load and cutting the deficit to 5-4. Junior LHP David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) then went 3-0 to the next hitter before inducing a fly out, keeping it a one-run game.

The Seahawks would get those runs back in the top of the eighth with a two-out rally. Lucas singled through the left side. Ramirez then blooped a double over the first baseman's head, advancing pinch-runner Nick Alfano (Fr., Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep) to third. Csakai then made it 6-4 with an infield single, plating Alfano before Ramirez came around on a throwing error.

Rees then struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth inning, exiting after 2.1 scoreless innings.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Seton Hall scored a pair of runs to cut it to 7-6 before Wagner closer RHP Ian Karlsson (Jr., Brooklyn, NY / Xavierian) induced a fly out to centerfield with two outs and the tying run at third, preserving the Seahawk win for his fourth save of the year.

Rautenstrauch improved to 2-0 with his second win in as many weeks against a Big East school, yielding just four runs, three earned, with eight strikeouts over 5.2 innings. On the day, Rautenstrauch, Rees and Karlsson combined for 12 strikeouts while walking just two batters.

Wagner went 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position and were 8-for-16 with two outs, led by Csakai, who went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. His two hits give him 202 for his career while moving him into a tie with former teammate and 2007 graduate Matt Mastrianni for third place on the all-time Seahawks hits' list.

Also recording multiple hits for the Green & White were Higgins (2-for-5), Lucas (2-for-4) and Ramirez (2-for-4) as all three also recorded a run and a RBI, leading the way for an offense that saw all nine regulars reach base safely.

Papaccio went 3-for-4 with a RBI for Seton Hall, which recorded 11 hits in defeat.

Terhune (0-1) took the loss, yielding three runs on four hits and two walks over 4.2 innings.

Wagner welcomes Monmouth to Richmond County Bank Ballpark this weekend with game one scheduled for Friday, April 16 at 3:00 pm.