BOX SCORE

Emmitsburg, MD - Trailing 4-0 heading into the top of the sixth inning, Wagner (8-10; 5-1 NEC) plated five runs before holding on for a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Mount St. Mary's (8-13; 4-2 NEC) in the first game of a doubleheader at Straw Family Stadium.

With one out in the top of the sixth inning, senior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) blasted his NEC-leading eighth home run of the year, a two-run shot over the center field fence, cutting the lead to 4-2. Junior Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) followed with a double down the first base line. Freshman Gaby Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico / Perkiomen (PA)) then drew a full-count walk before sophomore lefty Brady Feigl recorded the second out with his seventh strikeout of the game. Mountaineer closer Mike Matta was then brought in to try and keep the Seahawks at bay.  Pinch hitter Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) greeted Matta with a double to right field, plating McDonnell while pushing Ramirez to third base. Classmate Matt Logan (Wall, NJ / Wall) then delivered the knockout blow with a two-run double to right field, giving Wagner a 5-4 lead.

After fifth-year senior Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) got the first out of the bottom of the sixth inning, the right-handed pitcher allowed the next two batters to reach and was lifted for junior David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier). The crafty lefty retired the next two batters before classmate Ian Karlsson (Brooklyn, NY / Xavieran) worked a perfect seventh inning for his second save of the year.

Watson (2-2) picked up his ninth-straight NEC victory, striking out four while allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits over 5.1 innings. Matta (1-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing one run on two hits over 1.1 innings.

The Mount took a third-inning lead with a pair of runs. Tommy Flynn drew a lead-off walk before advancing to second on a passed ball. Flynn proceeded to steal third base and scored on a one-out error. Kyle Kane, who drove in Flynn, then advanced to second on a ground out. Shane Elyler followed with a single that bounced high off the lip of the infield grass into shallow right field, allowing Kane to score, staking Mount St. Mary's to a 2-0 lead.

The Mountaineers added to the lead with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Andrew Caron led off with a home run that barely cleared the left field fence. Zach Helmen followed with a single and was bunted over to second by Alex Andrews. Flynn picked Helman up with a run-scoring single to right center, pushing the lead out to 4-0.

Avella extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a first-inning double before putting the Green & White on the board with a two-run home in the top of the sixth inning. Classmate Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township) also recorded two hits, pacing a nine-hit Wagner attack.

Elyer and Helman each recorded two hits, leading the way for the Mountaineers. Feigl was solid over 5.2 innings, yielding four sixth-inning runs while retiring 11-straight at one point.