Video / Live Stats

Norfolk, VA - The Wagner baseball team returns to action with three games at Norfolk State this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader starting on Saturday at 1:00 pm, before wrapping up play with a single game on Sunday at 1:00 pm. All three games will be streamed for a nominal fee and can be accessed by clicking on the above link.

In the early par of the season junior Chris Smith (Tampa, FL / Freedom / Ellsworth CC) has been outstanding at the plate, batting a team-best .350 (7-of-20) with six walks and has reached base at a stellar .536 clip. Smith has the Seahawks' lone home run and seven of their 19 RBI. Equally impressive has been Nick Alfano (Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep), as the senior outfielder has hit safely in all six of his games en route to posting a .318 average (7-of-22) with two runs and two RBI. Rounding out the top performers from the first seven games is junior Ian Miller (Downingtown, PA / Bishop Shanahan), who is hitting .300 (9-of-30) with a team-best seven stolen bases with four RBI and three runs.

Freshman LHP Paul Mammino (Hillsborough, NJ / Hillsborough) has been outstanding on the mound over his first two career games, striking out six while allowing just three runs over 9.0 innings of work. Sophomore RHP Steven Bloodworth (Annandale, NJ / North Hunterdon) has also been solid in the early going, limiting the opposition to a .250 average over 6.1 innings while posting a 4.26 ERA.

The Spartans, under the direction of former Pittsburgh Pirate farmhand Claudell Clark, enter with a 3-8 record, having recently split a pair of games with Northeast Conference (NEC) member Fairleigh Dickinson. Norfolk State is led by juniors Zach Markel and Tyon Ore as both players are hitting a team-leading .317 with a combined 14 RBI. Rounding out the .300 hitters is senior Ross Cardwell with a .303 average while matching Ore's team-best eight RBI.

Senior LHP Richie Salter is 2-1 with 11 strikeouts and a team-best 1.80 ERA over 15.0 innings while pacing a Spartan staff that has posted a 3.66 team ERA. Sophomore RHP Troy Applin has been the team's ace out of the bullpen, striking out seven with a 1.93 ERA over 9.1 innings of action.

RUNNING FREE
Both teams have speed on the bases as Wagner has converted on 13-of-14 over its first seven games while Norfolk State is 16-of-19 over its first 11 games.

DID YOU KNOW???
That Spartan coach Claudell Clark played with current Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista with the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York Penn League. Clark's team shared the league title with the Brooklyn Cyclones after the teams were declared co-champions in 2001.

MOVING ON UP
With one more stolen base, Miller will match 2006 graduate Nick Papa for fourth place (55) on the all-time Seahawk career stolen base list. Miller is also three hits from matching former Chicago Cub farmhand Joe Murphy (106) for 43rd on the all-time hit list.

UP NEXT
Wagner will play newly minted Atlantic 10 member VCU in a single game on Tuesday, March 12 at 3:00 pm.

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