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Nolan Long's 13 Strikeouts (Video)

Staten Island, NY – Behind a dominating start from towering right-hander Nolan Long (Waterford, CT/Waterford [South Kent Prep]), the Wagner baseball team cruised to a 12-0 victory over the Central Connecticut Blue Devils in game one of a four-game Northeast Conference (NEC) series on Friday afternoon at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

With the win, the Seahawks improve to 17-15-1 on the year and 6-3 in conference play while the Blue Devils fall to 12-21; 5-8 in league action. 

The 6'10" Long, who carried a no-hitter through 3.2 innings, pitched six strong innings, allowing just three hits, while not allowing a run, issuing just one walk, and striking a career-high 13 batters on the afternoon. His 13 strikeouts mark the first time a Seahawk pitcher has fanned a minimum of 10 or more batters since March 27, 2010, when Jon Lucas recorded 10 strikeouts vs. LIU Brooklyn. The 13 punch-outs are the most by a Seahawk since March 28, 2004 when Mike McTamney fanned 13 in a 6-5 defeat at Fairleigh Dickinson.

"Nolan was sensational this afternoon," commented fourth-year head coach Jim Carone. "He threw 70 percent strikes and had great command of his fastball and his off-speed pitches. Our offense gave us a big lead early and kept adding on throughout the game. Today was a big team win." 

Eight of the nine Seahawk' starters had at least one hit on the afternoon as sophomore SS Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) finished the game 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Senior 1B Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ/Somerville) and RF Zack Yesko (Mukwonago, WI/Mukwonago) each tallied three hits with an RBI, respectively, while classmate Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township) went 2-for-5 with a game-high 3 RBIs and two runs scored. Central Connecticut's Connor Fitzsimons led the Blue Devils on the afternoon as he mustered two of the team's four total hits in the game.

Wagner exploded for five runs in the bottom of the first as Dini drove a 3-2 pitch to deep centerfield, clearing the bases with a double as senior CF Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College), Mascelli and junior LF Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South) came around to score. Mazurkiewicz followed up with a double of his own to right center, plating Dini before freshman DH Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) singled home Mazurkiewicz to cap-off the five run stanza.

After a scoreless second inning, the Seahawks scored three times in the bottom of the third as freshman 3B Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) singled to score Yesko and Mazurkiewicz to give the Green & White a 7-0 lead. Wagner tacked on two more runs off the bat of Mascelli and a four-pitch walk to Ruta to extend the lead to 9-0.

Long, meanwhile, was sailing through the game as he had seven strikeouts through the first three innings of play. With two outs in the top of the fourth, the big right-hander surrendered his first hit of the day as Corey Lerche took Long's 1-1 pitch through the left side for a single. The second-year starter quickly rebounded and got Mike Arman to fly out to end the inning. 

In his final inning of the day, Long used 14 pitches to strike out the side, preserving the shutout for the Seahawks. Wagner had tacked on runs in the bottom of the fourth, sixth and seventh to secure its 17th victory of the season.

"Lately, I've been less focused on throwing hard and spending more time repeating my mechanics and staying consistent with my delivery," said Long after his pitching performance. "Me and Nick [Dini] said from the gate to establish every pitch in the bullpen before the game and mix it up early while still establishing my fastball."
 
These two teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader, consisting of two seven innings games, with game one slated for 1:00 pm. Junior RHP Mike Adams (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Holy Spirit) and fifth-year senior LHP Matt Morris (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) are scheduled to take the hill in games one and two, respectively.

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