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Piscataway, NJ - Despite registering 14 hits, Wagner was handed a 9-5 defeat by Rutgers in non-conference action at Bainton Field. The Seahawks were not without their chances, stranding 13 runners in falling to 15-23 while the Scarlet Knights improve to 20-19.

Wagner opened the scoring with a run in the first inning as junior Ian Miller (Downingtown, PA / Bishop Shanahan) led the game off with a single, before stealing second. After a pair of pop outs, graduate student Chase Gray (Toms River, NJ / Toms River South / Seton Hall) extended his hitting streak to 13 games while plating Miller with the game's first run.

Rutgers immediately answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first inning. Matt Tietz was plunked, before stealing second. Tietz would then come around to score on Nick Favatella's RBI single up the middle.

The Scarlet Knights would take their first lead of the game at 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning on RBI doubles from Ross Costello and Matt Tietz. The Seahawks were able to evade further damage when senior Jayson Keel (Starkville, MS / Starkville / Holmes CC) threw out Matt Tietz at the plate.

Wagner then tied the game up with two runs in the top of the third inning. With one out, Gray got aboard via a two-base fielding error while pushing Keel, who was plunked leading off the frame, to third. Senior Shaun Flynn (Tabernacle, NJ / Seneca / Burlington CC) then to plated Keel with a single to center. Freshman Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ / West Windsor-Plainsboro South) followed with a walk to load up the bases. Gray then tied the score up at 3-3 when sophomore Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ / Somerville) was plunked with the bases loaded.

RU reclaimed the lead at 4-3 in the bottom part of the frame on Charlie Law's RBI single that scored Steve Zavela. After the Seahawks stranded a runner in scoring position in the top of the fourth inning, Rutgers extended the lead out to 7-3 with three runs in the bottom part of the frame.

Wagner again threatened in the top of the fifth inning, loading the bases on a Ruta double, a Mazurkiewicz hit by pitch and a Jason Gordon (Fr., Baltimore, MD / Archbishop Curley) single. Unfortunately, the Seakawks would come away empty handed as reliever Howie Brey induced a pop up and an inning-ending double play.

The Scarlet Knights would add to the lead with two runs in the seventh, only to see the Green & White respond with two of its own in the top of the eighth. Sophomore Dan Wasilick (Toms River, NJ / Toms River East) led off with a single, before Dini, Gray, Flynn and Ruta added two-out singles that resulted in a pair of runs to trim the deficit to 9-5. Unfortunately, Brey was able to escape the inning when Gray was gunned down at the plate for the final out.

Leading the 14-hit attack for the Seahawks was Flynn, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI, and Wasilick, who notched his first career multi-hit game in finishing up 2-for-5 with a run. Also recording a pair of hits on the afternoon were Dini, Gray and Ruta.

Freshman RHP Nathan Hunt (Kirkland, OH / Hawken School) was saddled with the loss, yielding four runs on four hits over 1.1 innings of work in falling to 2-2. Sophomore RHP Steven Bloodworth (Annandale, NJ / North Hunterdon) was solid in relief, firing 3.2 innings of two-run ball.

Steve Zavala went 3-for-4 with two runs to pace the RU offensive effort. Brey (2-2) earned the win, striking out two while surrendering two runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings of relief.

Wagner returns to action on Friday, April 26 at Quinnipiac with first pitch slated for 3:00 pm.

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