Box Score (XML) | Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) | Staten Island Advance RecapPictured Above: Freshman Anthony Godino (Photo By: Danielle Antonucci) Jersey City, NJ- Freshman LF
Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) recorded a career-high four hits to lead the Wagner baseball team to an 11-6 win over Saint Peter's University on Tuesday afternoon at Jaroschak Field.
Eight of the nine starters hit safely for the Seahawks, who recorded their fourth double-digit run total of the season against their counterparts from the MAAC in improving to 13-12-1 on the season while the Peacocks fall to 4-22-1.
Fifth-year senior right-hander
Nick Pavia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By The Sea) pitched 4.2 innings of scoreless relief of left-handed starter
Alex Amadeo (Staten Island, NYH/St. Joseph By The Sea) to pick up his third victory of the season as he struck out one batter and issued just one walk.
Wagner jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs on five hits in the opening frame. Senior CF
Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) kicked off the game with a double down the left field line. After Saint Peter's starter Willie Krajnik was able to set down reigning Northeast Conference (NEC) Player of the Week, SS
Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep), and junior RF
Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South), senior 2B
Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township) singled up the middle which allowed Nicosia to score from second for the first run of the game.
After Dini swiped second for his team-leading eighth stolen base of the year, senior 1B
Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ/Somerville) laced a single to right center on a 3-1 pitch, bringing in Dini to give Wagner a 2-0 advantage. Facing a full count, Godino then sent a double down the left line, bringing Mazurkiewicz all the way around from first, to give the visitors a three-run lead.
Godino, who advanced to third on Krajnik's wild pitch, scored the fourth run of the stanza when sophomore catcher
Brendan Benecke (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) produced Wagner's fifth of the inning on a screamer down the left field.
Saint Peter's answered back with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the first. Amadeo walked the first two batters before recording the first out on when Nick Henriquez flied out to Ruta in right. After the third walk of the inning loaded the bases, Chris Hugg slammed a grand slam home run over the left field wall, tying the game at 4-4. After Amadeo walked the next batter, Zach Rowson, Wagner turned to Pavia who was able to close out the inning with a ground out to third and a fly out to left.
Both teams were held at bay until the top of the fifth when Mascelli gave the Seahawks a 5-4 lead on his first career home run, a towering leadoff blast to left off of Krajnik. Wagner tacked on two more runs on a Mazurkiewicz sacrifice fly to center that was followed by a Godino's third hit of the game, an RBI single through the left side, which extended the Wagner lead to 7-4.
With two on and nobody out in the top of the sixth, Ruta recorded his team-leading 22
nd RBI when he sent the first pitch he saw back up-the-middle, giving the Green & White a five run lead at 9-4.
Mascelli extended Wagner's lead to 10-4 as he walked on eight pitches in the top of the seventh off of Nathaniel Leon. The final run of the game for Wagner came off the bat of freshman 3B
Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) as the rookie infielder singled to right center, scoring Mazurkiewicz from second.
Saint Peter's was able to trim the lead to 11-6 in the bottom of the eighth after a bases loaded walk to Nick Cardamone scored Tommy Toole and Christopher Micak singled to right center off of right-handed reliever
Evon Previte (Raritan, NJ/Immaculata). Junior
Ryan Spahr (Oceanport, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) then replaced Previte and ended the Peacocks' threat, retiring Vinny Maietta on an inning-ending comebacker.
The Peacocks had a chance in the bottom of the ninth as Angel Perez and Toole were hit-by-pitches. Wagner head coach
Jim Carone signaled for senior
Anthony Battaglia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By The Sea), who came in a threw a total of two pitches to two batters as Wagner picked up the victory.
The Seahawks, who are now 13-4-1 over the last 18 contests, will host Fairfield University on Wednesday, April 15 at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. First-pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm.
Follow Wagner Athletics on Twitter and Instagram (@wagnerathletics) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department and @WagBaseball for news and updates on the baseball program
