Box Score / Box Score (PDF)

Jacksonville, FL - Wagner used a team effort in posting a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Jacksonville in the series finale between the teams at Sessions Stadium. With the win, the Seahawks win this weekend's series by a 2-1 count as the Dolphins fall to 6-9.

For the second-straight game the Green & White struck first with a single run. Sophomore Ian Miller (Downington, PA / Bishop Shanahan) led off the game by reaching via an error. With one out, Miller swiped second before taking third on another JU miscue. Senior Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) followed with a RBI ground out to open the game's scoring, bringing around Miller in the process.

After sophomore RHP Ryan Casey (Paramus, NJ / St. Joseph Regional) set down the Dolphins without incident in the bottom of the first, Wagner struck for another run in the top of the second inning. Freshman Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) led off with an infield single before moving to second on a one-out wild pitch. Classmate Mitchell Dressing (Beachwood, NJ / Toms River South) advanced Dini to third with a single through the left side, before junior Nick Alfano (Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep) plated Dini with a sacrifice bunt, extending the lead out to 2-0.

Jacksonville rallied with four runs on five hits in taking a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the second before adding to the lead with a single run in the bottom of the fourth.

Down but not out, the Seahawks trimmed the deficit to 5-3 in the top of the fifth with a single run. Alfano led off with a single to left field. Miller followed with a bunt single as Alfano moved to third on the play on an error by the pitcher. After a pop out, Higgins collected his second RBI of the game with a run-scoring single up the middle that plated Alfano.

Casey escaped potential trouble in the bottom half of the fifth, coaxing projected first-day MLB Draft Pick Adam Brett Walker into an double play grounder before recording the final out without incident.

Despite allowing five runs on 10 hits over his 5.0 innings of work, Casey managed to keep the Green & White in the game, striking out three while not walking a batter.

Wagner got one more run back in the top of the sixth when Dressing plated junior Jayson Keel (Starkville, MS / Starkville / Holmes CC), who reached via an error to lead off the game, with a RBI single through the left side.

Freshman RHP Ryan Carmon (Belle Mead, NJ / Montgomery) entered in relief of Casey in the bottom of the sixth and worked around a pair of singles before retiring the side in the order in the bottom of the seventh inning.

This opened the door up for a game-changing Seahawk rally in the top of the eighth. Senior Hayden Hunter (Santa Monica, CA / Notre Dame) and Dressing were each plunked to lead off the frame. Alfano then delivered his second sacrifice bunt of the game, moving the runners to second-and-third. Will Flor was then summoned from the bullpen before promptly uncorking a wild pitch, allowing Hunter to score and tie the game up at 5-5. On the play, Dressing moved to third before Miller was intentionally walked. On the first pitch, sophomore Chris Smith (Tampa, FL / Freedom / Ellsworth (IA) CC) laid down a perfect squeeze bunt, forcing in Dressing with what would turn out to be the winning run.

Carmon would be lifted in the bottom of the eighth with one out and a runner on first after another solid performance. Freshman RHP Anthony Battaglia (Staten Island, NY / St. Joseph By The Sea) entered and promptly struck out Jimmy Appleby before coaxing Matt Frank into an inning-ending pop up.

After Wagner went in order in the top of the ninth, Battaglia struck out the first batter he faced in the bottom part of the frame, before Taylor Ratliff got aboard with a bunt single before Jake Huxtable reached via a free pass. Undaunted, Battaglia got Dan Gulbransen to ground into a fielder's choice, before forcing Brett Walker into a game-ending fly out.

The Seahawk pitching staff yielded five runs on 14 hits, but surrendered just one free pass. Carmon (1-0) collected his first career win with 2.1 innings of three-hit relief while Battaglia earned his first collegiate save with 1.2 scoreless frames of his own, highlighted by a pair of strikeouts. On the year, Carmon has appeared in four games, recording five strikeouts, against just one walk, with a 1.08 ERA over 8.1 innings of work while Battaglia has hurled 3.2 innings of scoreless relief over three games with four strikeouts.

On offense, Higgins led a nine-hit attack, going 2-for-5 with two RBI. Dressing also had a big game, going 2-for-3 with a run and a walk. Miller also reached base safely three times with a hit and two walks while adding two walks. Graduate student BIll Murphy (Cranford, NJ / Roselle Catholic / Rutgers) rounded out the multi-hit performers, going 2-for-5.

LHP Sean Green (0-2) suffered the loss, striking out two while allowing three runs, two earned, on one hit over 2.1 innings.

Ethan Loosen and Ratliff each had three hits, pacing a JU offense that notched 14 hits.

Wagner earned its first series win during pre-Northeast Conference (NEC) play since taking two-of-three from Maine in March of 2009, thanks to committing just two errors on the weekend while limiting the Dolphins to just a .250 average (7-for-28) with runners in scoring position, including .222 (2-for-9) in today's finale. Conversely, the Seahawks hit .364 (4-for-11) with runners in scoring position in today's one-run come-from-behind victory.

The Green & White returns to action with a single game at No. 10 Georgia Tech on Tuesday, March 13 with first pitch slated for 4:00 pm.