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Pictured Above: Sophomore righthander Danny Marsh (Photo by Dave Saffran)

Tampa, FL- The Wagner College Seahawks struck for two runs in the opening inning and rallied late to tie the University of South Florida Bulls at 4-4 in the final game of a three-game set held at USF Baseball Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
The contest was called after the eleventh inning due the Seahawks travel plans.
 
The Seahawks jumped out to 2-0 in the opening inning.  After leadoff hitter Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) grounded out to second, senior outfielder Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) drew a eight-pitch walk. Junior Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor Plainsboro South) reached on a error by the leftfielder, Kevin Merrell, which allowed Ruta to advance to second while Nicosia sprinted to third. Senior Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township) walked on eight-pitches loading the bases for freshman Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville). The first-year outfielder, who finished the weekend series 3-for-8, smashed a solid single to left field on a 2-2 pitch, scoring Ruta and Nicosia.
 
Sophomore righty Danny Marsh (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township), who made his tenth career start, surrendered the first USF run in the bottom of the third as Austin Lueck smashed a homerun on the first pitch he saw.  In the bottom of the fourth, the Bulls evened the game at 2 when Daniel Portales doubled to center field while Luke Maglich followed up with a RBI-single down the right field line.
 
Wagner regained the lead back in the top of the seventh, 3-2. Mascelli kicked off the inning with a five-pitch walk and advanced to second after Nicosia executed a sacrifice-bunt that was fielded by the pitcher.  With one out, Ruta wrapped a double down the left field line on a 3-2 pitch that scored Mascelli from second.
 
The Seahawks were able to get the first two batters on in the top half of the eighth, as senior Jason Gordon (Baltimore, MD/Archbishop Curley) singled to left field and fellow classmate, Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Stantion, NJ/Somerville) followed suit with a hard-placed single to third but USF's Clay Simmons was charged with the error, allowing Gordon to move to third. Freshman Phil Dickinson (Wenonah, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drove a deep-fly to Maglich in right-field, who immediately fired the ball back towards the plate, as the Bulls Lee Borders was able to apply the tag on Gordon trying to score to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, USF regained the lead as Luke Borders connected on a two-out, two-run homerun off of righty reliever Max Schmardel (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional).
 
In Wagner's half of the ninth, the Seahawks had the 1-2-3 batters up in Mascelli, Nicosia and Ruta.  Mascelli reached on an error by the shortstop, Kyle Teaf, the third error of the contest for the Bulls. Nicosia advanced Mascelli with his second SAC-bunt of the game. Ruta grounded-out to the pitcher, Michael Farley, for the second out of the inning. 

Down to their last chance in the top of the ninth, Wagner rallied to tie the game after a chaotic turn of events occurred. The Seahawks had runners at the corners and were set to load the bases after Godino walked.  A wild pitch, resulting in the fourth ball, allowed Mascelli to score after a throwing error at the plate.  The error allowed Dini to advance to third, but he was tagged out by Farley on his attempt to make it home.
 
Due to the tie, there was a no decision on the game. Marsh started the game to the tune of 5.2 innings pitched, allowing three hits, two runs (both earned) while not yielding a walk to go along with four strikeouts. Junior southpaw Paul Mammino (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) came in relief of Marsh, not allowing a run in three batters faced while Schmardel finished with a line of 1.2 innings pitched, allowing four hits, two runs (both earned) while striking out one. Senior Steven Bloodworth (Annandale, NJ/North Hunterdon) pitch three scoreless innings of relief.

The Seahawks will be back in action for a weekend set on February 27^th as they take on the Elon University Phoenix.

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