BOX SCORE

Vin Avella's RBI ground out

Damian Csakai's 235th and final career hit

Bridgewater, NJ - No. 2 CCSU ended No. 3 Wagner's season with a 7-2 victory at 2010 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament presented by Akadema. The Blue Devils improve to 31-21 and will now take on No. 1 Sacred Heart in the Championship Round while the Seahawks conclude the year with a 26-31 mark.

In defeat, seniors Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) and Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township) did everything they could to try and will their team to victory, going 4-for-8 with two runs, doubles and one RBI. Avella had a monster tournament, going 6-for-12 with six runs, two doubles, two home runs and four RBI while slugging 1.167. Csakai matched Avella by also turning in a 6-for-12 performance with a double, run and stolen base while reaching base at a .538 mark

Both teams dented the scoreboard in the opening inning. 2010 NEC Player of the Year Sean Allaire led off with a walk before stealing second. After advancing to third on a fly out, he scored on Pat Epps' two-out, two-strike single up the middle.

Wagner got that run back in the bottom part of the frame. Csakai led off with a single through the right side before advancing to third on a Brian Martutartus (Jr., Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) single. The speedy centerfielder would come around to score on an Avella RBI ground out, tying the game at 1-1.

The Blue Devils reclaimed the lead with another two-out run in the top of the second inning. Kyle Zarotney singled up the middle before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on Dan Hickey's RBI single to right field, making it 2-1 while plating Zarotney.

CCSU added to the lead on a Zarotney three-run home run to deep left center, extending the lead out to 5-1.

The Blue Devils scored twice more in the top of the seventh inning on a Meade RBI single and a Mitch Wells sacrifice fly, making it 7-1.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Wagner threatened as freshmen Gaby Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico / Perkiomen (PA)) and Nick Alfano (Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep) each singled. However the rally would go for naught as CCSU LHP Jason Foster induced an inning-ending force out.

The Seahawks would push one across in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-out rally. Avella doubled with two outs before junior Kevin McDonnell (Bristol CT / Avon Old Farms) brought him around with a hard-hit single off the third baseman's glove.

Unfortunately, that would be it for the Green & White as Foster (3-2) earned his second win of the year against Wagner, striking out seven while yielding two runs on 10 hits and a walk in a complete game effort. Fifth-year senior RHP Andy Wells (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter's) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits and a walk over 2.2 innings.

After Wells exited freshman Dakota Dvorak (Pompano Beach, FL / North Broward Prep) hurled 2.1 innings of one-hit ball before 2010 All-NEC Second Team selection junior LHP David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) fired a career-high 4.0 innings, surrendering just two runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out three.

All nine regulars reached base safely for the Seahawks, led by Avella and Csakai, who each went 2-for-4 with a double.

Zarotney paced the Blue Devils at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs. Epps also had a solid game, going 3-for-4 with a walk while Sean Miller-Jones and Meade notched a pair of hits.

NOTES: CCSU bested Sacred Heart 9-6 in the next game and the teams will meet tomorrow in a winner take all finale ... Zarotney again delivered the dagger for the Blue Devils, crushing a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning ... The Wagner senior class of Avella, Csakai, Brian Miller (Pittsburgh, PA / North Hills), Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) and Wells finish up with a school-record 101 wins, including going 84-80 over the last three years ... Classmates Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell), McDonnell and AJ Pirozzi (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) all took redshirt years and will join forces with 11 other juniors, fueling a 14-person senior class next year ... Avella finished the year with a .327 average, 52 runs, 68 hits, 17 home runs and 60 RBI while slugging .649, all of which paced the squad ... Csakai concluded his final year with a .313 average, 62 hits, 49 runs, 41 stolen bases, 31 walks and was hit by a pitch 17 times while posting a team-best .445 OBP ... The pair also combined to set 17 single-season or career Seahawk records ... Watson also matched Don Finley, Joe Testa and Bill Willetts with a school-record 19 career victories.