Richmond, VA – Despite scoring in the seventh and two in the ninth, the Wagner baseball team dropped the series finale, 4-3, at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rams this afternoon at The Diamond.
With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 3-7 on the year while VCU improves to 9-5.
Five Seahawks had two hits in the contest with freshman catcher
Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) driving in both RBIs for the visitors. Senior RHP
Mike Adams (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Holy Spirit) hurled 5.1 innings, surrendering five hits, four earned runs while walking two and striking out one despite taking the loss.
Fellow classmate
Nick Pavia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By the Sea) tossed 2.2 innings in relief of Adams, allowing just a hit and striking out two Rams.
VCU struck for the game's first run in the bottom of second as Mitchel Lacey singled to left field scoring Cody Acker from third, giving the Rams a 1-0 advantage. The Rams added two more in the bottom of the fourth as Jimmy Kerrigan doubled down the left field line scoring Darian Carpenter from second base. Lacey sent a sacrifice fly to center field which plated across Kerrigan for VCU's third run of the contest.
In the bottom of the sixth, Lacey delivered his third RBI of the game, on a sac-fly to right, which plated Kerrigan to give VCU a 4-0 lead.
Wagner scored its first run of the game in its half of the seventh. With one out, senior CF
Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) delivered a bunt single which was immediately followed by a single through the left side off the bat of freshman
Cole Heavilin (Vista, CA/Rancho Buena Vista).
Junior SS
Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) singled to shortstop which loaded the bases. After senior RF
Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South) had flown out for the second out of the stanza, Nicosia scored on a wild pitch from Jack Alkire.
After a scoreless eight from, Wagner mounted a dramatic comeback. With one out, Mascelli singled to right on a 3-1 pitch. Ruta smacked a double to left center, putting runners in scoring position for the Seahawks. Capra came up and sent a 3-2 pitch through the left side, plating both Ruta and Mascelli, closing the gap to 4-3. Freshmen
Anthony Harrold (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and
Anthony Pecora (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck High School) struck out to conclude the contest.
After a ten-game road trip of the state of Virginia, the Seahawks return to Staten Island and welcomes Atlantic-10 member, Fordham University, on March 19 for its home opener at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. Saturday is slated to be a doubleheader with a first pitch time of 12:00 p.m.
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