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Norwich, CT - No. 3 Sacred Heart scored four times in the sixth and five in the eighth en route to posting a 13-8 win in the 2014 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament at Dodd Stadium.

In defeat, the Seahawks see their season end with a 19-35 record, highlighted by the program's first NEC Tournament appearance since the 2010 season. The Pioneers improve to 28-27 and will next play another elimination game tomorrow at 12:00 pm.

After senior RHP Ryan Casey (Paramus, NJ / St. Joseph Regional) struck out the first two batters of the game, Zach Short, Jayson Sullivan and Matt Charmello all delivered two-out singles to plate the first run of the game.

Wagner quickly rallied to tie the game up at 1-1 in the bottom part of the frame. Senior Chris Smith (Tampa, FL / Ellsworth CC (IA)) drew a one-out walk before moving to third on a Nick Dini (Jr., Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) double. Smith then crossed the plate on senior Shaun Flynn's (Tabernacle, NJ / Burlington CC) RBI fielder's choice grounder as Dini was thrown out third.

Sacred Heart reclaimed the lead at 2-1 in the top of the third thanks to an unearned run as Derick Horn delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Jayson Sullivan, who previously reached via a one-out error.

The Pioneer lead would grow to 4-1 in the top of the fourth thanks to two hits and a pair of Seahawk errors.

In the top of the sixth, Sacred Heart added to its lead with four two-out runs in taking an 8-1 lead.

The Seahawks got one run back in the bottom part of the frame but the damage could have been greater. Flynn drew a one-out walk and after a routine fly moved to second on junior Jason Gordon's (Baltimore, MD / Archbishop Curley) second hit of the game. Classmate Trey Nicosia (State College, PA / State College Area) then plated Flynn with a RBI single to center field while cutting the deficit to 8-2. Sophomore John Lynn (Wallingford, PA / Salesianum School (DE)) followed by working a walk to load the bases. Unfortunately, Pioneer LHP Stoddard induced an inning-ending fly to evade further damage.

After both teams were kept off the scoreboard in the seventh, Sacred Heart added to the lead with five runs in jumping out to what appeared to be a comfortable 13-2 lead.

However, never-say-die Wagner would not go down quietly. Sophomore Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ / Somerville) led off with a single before Gordon followed with a double. Nicosia then plated both Mazurkiewicz and Gordon with a two-run single. Following a fielder's choice grounder, junior Dan Wasilick (Toms River, NJ / Toms River East) singled before freshman Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ / Seton Hall Prep) walked to load the bases. Smith then chased home Lynn with a sacrfice fly for the third Seahawk run of the inning. The out, however, did not quell the Green & White momentum as Dini was plunked to again load the bases and Flynn delivered a two-run double to make it a 13-7 game. Wagner then capped its six-run frame when Dini scored on a fielding error to make it 13-8.

The Seahawks threatened again in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two down but were denied when Dini's long fly to right field hung up just long enough for Sullivan to record the final out.

For the second-straight game all nine Green & White starters reached base safely. Nicosia was 3-for-5 with a career-high three RBI to lead a 12-hit Wagner attack. Gordon also notched three hits and finished up the tournament with a .500 average (5-for-10). Wasilick rounded out the multi-hit performers with two hits while Flynn was the top Seahawk run producer, finishing with three RBI.

Horn, Ted Shaw and Sullivan all notched three hits to pace an 18-hit Sacred Heart attack.

Stoddard (5-2) struck out four and yielded two runs on five hits over 6.0 innings. Casey (4-6), meanwhile, struck out four and allowed five runs, three earned, on 10 hits in his final collegiate appearance.

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