Staten Island, NY – Opening Day has arrived for the Wagner baseball team as they get set to take on Big South member, Longwood, this weekend. Before this afternoon's contest, WagnerAthletics.com presents the 2016 Seahawks baseball team, under fifth-year head coach and reigning Northeast Conference Coach of the Year, Jim Carone.

"We are prepared and excited to get the 2016 campaign underway down south this weekend in Virginia. We have a solid mix of veteran returners along with a large crop of first-year players. We have experienced quality arms on the mound as well as a skilled and versatile group of position players. It has been a long winter, and I know our players are anxious to get finally out on the field and compete."

Pitching Staff:
Wagner returns all but two starters from a rotation that posted the program's lowest ERA since 2009 as the 2015 squad finished with an NEC-leading 4.37 ERA. Gone is Nolan Long after the towering 6-10 right-hander went 4-3 with a 2.67 ERA in 54.0 innings. Long struck out 55 batters and was one of a program-high five players named to the 2015 All-Northeast Conference (NEC) First Team. Long was drafted in the 16th round of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Additionally, Max Schmardel provided Wagner with a 2-1 record last season in 43.2 innings while striking out 29 batters and walking just ten. 

Senior right-hander Mike Adams (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Holy Spirit) is the team's top returning arm after posting a 4-4 record in 12 games while hurling a team-leading 58.0 innings. Adams struck out 47 batters (18 of which coming via looking which ranked fifth in the conference). The 5-11 South Jersey native averaged 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings as he notched a season-high six strikeouts on three separate occasions, the last coming on May 16 against Bryant.

Joining Adams is senior left-hander Matt Morris (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney), who has 35 career games started (tied with Andrew Bailey for fifth all-time in Wagner history) to go along with six complete games on his resume. Along with Adams and Morris, a pair of juniors will look to make their mark on the team in Austin Goeke (Bordentown, NJ/The Hun School) and Danny Marsh (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township). Goeke made six starts for the Green & White in 2015, posting a 3.71 ERA in those outings. The 6-5 righty fanned a career-best eight batters against NYIT back on March 29 and showed he was tough on left-handed hitters. Marsh, however, was limited to just one start due to injury in 2015, in which he tossed 5.2 innings, striking out four batters against South Florida back on February 22. 

The Seahawks will have a duo that can spot start or come on in relief for Carone, led by a pair of seniors in righty Nick Pavia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By The Sea) and lefty Paul Mammino (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough).  Pavia appeared in 15 games in 2015, while making four starts. Overall, the native Staten Islander finished the campaign 4-1 with a 2.92 ERA and recorded his first career save in a 12-6 victory over Central Connecticut (April 25). Mammino appeared in 18 contests out of the bullpen and made one start at NJIT (April 19). Out of the pen, he posted a 2.95 ERA with a 2-1 record in 17 appearances.

In the backend of the bullpen, the Seahawks have balance with three righties and three lefties and of those, five are upperclassmen. Of the returning arms, which featured a combined 4.03 ERA, the lone senior among the group is right-hander Nathan Hunt (Kirtland, OH/Hawken School). Hunt hurled 16.0 innings last season while giving up two hits or fewer in 77 percent of his appearances. 

Catchers: 
Despite having two upperclassmen that can fill in behind-the-plate, the Seahawks will need to replace the 2015 NEC Player of the Year and All-American selection, Nick Dini. Dini became Wagner's all-time leader in career hits (245), at-bats (793), games played (215) and games started (215) among the accolades and was chosen by the World Series champions, Kansas City Royals, in the 14th Round of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft. 

Looking to fill the void behind the plate will be senior John Lynn (Wallingford, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) along with junior Brendan Benecke (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty), who are the incumbents.  Coach Carone brought in three first-year players that are in the mix for time at the backstop in Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem), Joe Silvestrone (Manalapan, NJ/Freehold Township) and James Wise (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) battling for playing time.

Infield:
The departure of Tommy Mazurkiewicz, who graduated last season, opened up a hole at first for the first time in two years. Carone hopes to fill it with one of three freshmen in Anthony Harrold (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Will Johnson (Toms River, NJ/Toms River High School East) and Alex Sica (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Indian Hills). 

At second base, three players are in the mix to claim the position after the graduation of Dan Wasilick, who begins his first season as a member of Coach Carone's staff.  Returning sophomore Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) will see some time at second after returning from a season-ending injury in 2015. Two newcomers will also vie for a chance in Cole Heavilin (Vista, CA/Rancho Buena Vista) and Anthony Pecora (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck).

At the hot corner, sophomore Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) made 42 starts as the now second-year Seahawk batted .261 with four doubles and 20 RBIs. Mazzio had a career-high four hits at Mount St. Mary's in which he went 4-for-6 with two runs scored, a career-best four RBIs, and a double. 

A mainstay at shortstop, junior Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) started in all 51 games a season ago, which extended his consecutive games played streak to 105.  Mascelli was one of four Seahawks to finish the season with a .300 batting average as he ended the year at .304.  After 15 games in the leadoff spot, he solidified the No. 2 spot, batting .359 with one home run, 21 RBIs, and eight doubles to his cred.  Statistically, the third-year Seahawk tied for third in walks in the conference (29) while finishing sixth in runs scored (39). 

Outfield:
A definite strength for the Seahawks as both corner outfield spots features a pair of All-NEC league players. Moving over from left to right this season, senior Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South) earned All-First Team honors last season after starting all 51 games. Ruta finished the year with a .327 average, which was eighth in the NEC while swatting three home runs and driving in 36 (second on the team; seventh in the league). Ruta entered 2015 with a six-game hitting streak and was able to start the year with a hit in 15 straight games to finish with a 21-game hit streak.  A lethal left-handed bat out of the three hole, Ruta hit .370 with runners on and 2-outs. Entering 2016, the West Windsor, NJ native has a five-game hitting streak. 

Senior Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) played in all 51 games while patrolling centerfield. Nicosia batted .294 with 36 runs scored, 15 doubles (fifth in the NEC) and in the process set the new Wagner single-season record for sacrifice hits (11), which also led the conference. A threat to steal with his eight stolen bases, Nicosia excelled in the leadoff spot, batting .304 with 26 runs scored, 11 doubles and 13 RBIs. 

A year after serving as the Seahawks primary designated hitter, sophomore Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) returns to the outfield as he will replace Ruta in left. Godino had a tremendous rookie season, finishing second in the race for the NEC Batting Title, as he batted .348 with nine doubles and 30 RBIs. The Thornwood, NY native ranked among the top-50 in on-base percentage and had eleven games in which he belted two or more hits.  On April 25, he drove in a career-best six RBIs in a 12-6 rout of Central Connecticut.  At the conclusion of the 2015 season, Godino garnered All-NEC First Team honors while being one of three Seahawks all-time to garner NCAA Division I Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team honors by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.  


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