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Pictured Above: Junior outfielder Ben Ruta 

Merion Station, PA - Behind a 4-for-4, three-RBI day from senior catcher and 2015 Johnny Bench Award Watch List member Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township), a four-run fifth inning, and four RBIs from right fielder Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South), the Wagner baseball team picked up its first victory of the 2015 season, defeating the Northeastern Huskies 9-3 at Smithson Field on the campus of Saint Joseph's University on Saturday afternoon. 

The Seahawks improve to 1-8-1 on the season while the Huskies fall to 7-8 on the campaign.

"Today was a great team win," commented head coach Jim Carone. "Nolan (Long), Mike (Adams) and Steven (Bloodworth) were outstanding on the mound today. We played excellent defense in tough weather conditions. The offense kept battling all day and the guys in the lineup did a good job of getting on base against some solid pitching." 

Junior right-hander Mike Adams (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Holy Spirit) picked up his first win of the season (1-1, 6.08 ERA) as he pitched 4.1 innings in relief of sophomore righty Nolan Long (Waterford, CT/Waterford (South Kent Prep). The hard-throwing, 6-foot-10 inch Long, worked the first 3.2 innings, allowing four hits, two runs (both earned) while striking out four Huskies.

The Seahawks drew first blood in the bottom of the first. After Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) grounded out, the Green & White was able to string three hits in the stanza. Senior centerfielder Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) singled and was advanced to third on a double by Ruta.  Nicosia was thrown out at the plate after Northeastern's left fielder, Gabe Levanti, fired a rocket to the third baseman, Nolan Lang, who fired a strike to catcher Josh Treff for the second out of the inning. Dini, batting in the cleanup spot, then stepped to the plate and laced a double that brought in Ruta for the first run of the contest. 

Northeastern answered in the top of the second as Lang singled in Pat Madigan, who had reached on a single of his own. Long limited the damage by inducing an inning-ending strike-out, throw-out double play as Dini fired a laser to second baseman Phil Dickinson (Wenonah, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) who applied the tag on Lang for the final out of the inning.

The Huskies took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth. After Madigan led off the inning with a solo shot, Long was able to punch out Levanti looking to record the first out of the inning.  After allowing Lang single and issuing a free pass to Maxwell Burt, Carone made the call to the bullpen, inserting Adams. The first batter that the South Jersey native faced was Treff, who he got to pop out to the shortstop Mascelli for the final out of the inning. 

In the Seahawks half of the fourth, Dini, who has now started in 172 consecutive games, led things off by lacing his second double of the game. Freshman left fielder Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) then advanced Dini to third with a grounder to third before Dini scored on a wild pitch, tying the game at 2-2.  

After a scoreless top half of the fifth, Wagner broke through with a season-high four-run inning. After freshman third baseman Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) grounded out to third, the Seahawks began their barrage. Mascelli and Nicosia singled in back-to-back at-bats before Ruta delivered an RBI double.  Dini followed with a two-run single, plating Ruta and Nicosia to make it a 5-2 game. After a walk to Godino, which allowed Dini to move up ninety-feet, senior first baseman Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ/Somerville) singled to load the bases. Dickinson then drew an RBI walk, which allowed Dini to cross the plate as the Seahawks plated four runs on five hits, in taking a 6-2 lead.

Northeastern was able to bring a run across a run in the top of the eighth to make it 6-3, before the Seahawks answered back with a three-run bottom half of the inning, capped by a Ruta's first home run of the season, a towering shot with Nicosia and Mascelli aboard.

Adams allowed just one run in his 4.1 innings of relief while striking out a season-high five batters. Senior Steven Bloodworth (Annadale, NJ/North Hunterdon) pitched a scoreless ninth as Wagner secured the six-run win.

The Seahawks will conclude the 2015 Big Five Baseball Bash on Sunday when they face the Villanova University Wildcats tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.

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