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Bridgeport, CT - Wagner scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back en route to posting a 6-4 wire-to-wire victory over Sacred Heart in the teams' series finale at Harbor Yard.
With the win, the Seahawks split the weekend series while improving to 5-14 and 2-2 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while the Pioneers fall to 5-10 and 2-2 in the league.
The Grene & White wasted little time in opening the scoring. Juniors
Ian Miller (Downingtown, PA / Bishop Shanahan) and
Chris Smith (Tampa, FL / Freedom / Ellsworth CC (IA) led off with singles, before sophomore
Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) loaded the bases with a walk. Senior
Nick Alfano (Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep) followed with a two-run double to left field, plating both Miller and Smith. One out later, senior
Jayson Keel (Starkville, MS / Starkville / Holmes CC) chased home Dini with a sacrifice fly to left field to give Wagner the early 3-0 lead.
SHU threatened in the bottom part of the first as the first two hitters singled. However sophomore RHP
Max Schmardel (Eatontown, NJ / Momouth Regional) induced an pop up for the first out, before picking off the runner at second and striking out Dan Perez for the third out.
Schmardel then recorded a 1-2-3 frame in the second, before Smith made an outstanding diving catch in right field to quell a mini Pioneer threat in the third.
Sacred Heart again threatened in the fourth, only to see Schmardel induce an inning-ending double play to escape unscathed.
Dini added to the lead in the top of the fifth inning with a RBI double to left field, plating Smith, who had walked before stealing second.
The Pioneers finally got to Schmardel in the top of the fifth inning on John Murphy's bases loaded walk. Freshman RHP
Nathan Hunt (Kirtland, OH / Hawken School) then entered in relief of Schmardel and quelled the rally by getting Dan Perez to ground out to first for the final out while stranding three runners.
Wagner would push the lead out to a game-high five at 6-1 with two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Dini was plunked with one out before Alfano moved him to third with a single. Alfano would quickly steal second to give the Seahawks a pair of runners in scoring position with just one out. Both runners would then come around to score on back-to-back pass balls by the catcher.
SHU would get one of those runs back in the bottom part of the frame on a Perez sacrifice fly. However, once again the damage could have been worse but Alfano, who relieved Hunt with one out and the bases loaded, struck out Victor Sorrento for the final out.
Sacred Heart would make things interesting in the bottom of the ninth as Murphy hit a two-run homer to right field, trimming the deficit to 6-4. The Pioneers would then get the tying run to the plate, but It was too little too late as Alfano coaxed a Jesus Medina to Miller for the final out of the game.
Wagner out-hit the Sacred Heart by an 8-5 count and was led by Alfano (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and Smith (2-for-4, 2 runs, 2 stolen bases). Murphy went 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and a pair of walks to pace the Pioneer attack.
Schmardel was solid in collecting a no-decision, striking out three while yielding one on three hits over a career-high 4.2 innings of work. Hunt (1-1) earned his first collegiate win, striking out two over 1.2 innings. Alfano closed out the victory, striking out two over 2.2 innings of action in just his third career appearance on the mound.
Nick Morrissey (0-2) took the loss, allowing four runs over 4.2 innings.
The Seahawks return to action on Thursday, March 28 with a 2:00 pm doubleheader against Saint Peter's at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.
Notes:
* Wagner's eight stolen bases is a season-high and the most by a NEC team since the Seahawks and Fairleigh Dickinson each recorded eight in 2010.
* The Seahawks snapped a six-game road losing streak to the Pioneers and won for just the second time in the last 11 road match-ups with SHU.
Wagner also captured the series finale against SHU for the first time since the 2006 season, having lost the previous six games by a combined 48-22 count.
* Both Seahawk wins this weekend came from freshmen pitchers (Hunt,
Paul Mammino), as the three Seahawk rookie hurlers (
Mike Adams, Hunt, Mammino) that saw action, combined to allow just three hits over 12.0 innings of action (3.00 ERA).
* Mammino did not allow an earned run over two outings this week, surrendering just four hits in 6.0 innings. Thus far, he is 2-0 with 13 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA over 23.2 innings of work.
* Over four games against Sacred Heart, Smith hit a team-best .400 (6-of-15) with three stolen bases, two runs, two RBI, two doubles and two walks and has now reached base safely in 18 of his 19 games. On the year, the Sunshine state native leads the Green & White in hitting (.333), runs (10), home runs (1), RBI (10), walks (13), HBP (4), OBP (.475) and slugging (.444).
* Wagner is well on its way to leading the NEC in stolen bases for the fifth-straight year, having converted on 29-of-33 in the first 19 games of the season.
* Alfano made just his third career outing on the mound, striking out two over the final 2.2 innings of action.
* The Seahawks will now welcome Saint Peter's to Richmond County Bank Ballpark for three games (DH - Thursday / Single Game - Saturday) in the Green & White's annual bye week series.
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Photography by Dave Saffran
