Staten Island, NY – The Wagner baseball team dropped a pair of one-run, extra-inning games to Fordham this afternoon at Richmond County Ballpark, falling in the opener, 6-5, in eight innings (scheduled seven inning game), while the scheduled nine-inning nightcap went 11 innings, with the Rams coming out on top by a 4-3 count.
Today's losses, which come on the heels of yesterday's 2-0 series-opening win in the Bronx, leave the Seahawks with an overall record of 4-9 on the season, while the Rams improve to 8-11.
Game 1 Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML) Wagner overcame a 5-2 deficit with a three-run rally in the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5, before the Rams pushed across a run in the top of the eighth and held on for the 6-5 win.
The Seahawks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI double by senior centerfielder
Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/ State College area) which was followed by an RBI single by sophomore second baseman
Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/ Middletown South).
With senior righthander
Mike Adams (Egg Harbor Township / Holy Spirit) in control on the hill, Wagner maintained its 2-0 lead until the top of the fifth when the Rams touched Adams for three runs in forging a 5-2 lead with the big blow coming on a two-run double by Ryan McNally.
In the seventh, senior rightfielder
Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ / West Windsor-Plainsboro) cut the Seahawk deficit to 5-3 with an RBI single through the right side to drive in sophomore third baseman
Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/ Salesianium School [DE]), who had opened the inning with a single. Wagner then scored two runs on an en error by the first baseman, Matthew Kozuch, which made it a 5-5 game.
The Rams pushed ahead the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth when McNally began the frame with a triple to center off of Seahawk righthanded freshman reliever
Cory Heitler (Fair Lawn, NJ/ Fair Lawn), and came around to score on an error by third baseman, Mazzio, whose relay throw home was off the mark.
Mazzio reached on a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth before Anthony Dimeglio fanned freshman Joe Silverstrone (Staten Island, NY/ Tottenville) swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.
Ruta accounted for three of Wagner's five hits, going 3-fo-r4 at the plate.
Dimeglio, who worked 1.1 innings of relief of starter Jimmy Murphy, recorded the win while Heitler absorbed the loss.
Game 2 Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML) After falling behind 2-0 in the nightcap, the Seahawks surged ahead with a three-run fifth inning. Brey and junior shortstop
Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) began the innings with consecutive singles and each then moved up a base on a passed ball.
After Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro) worked out a walk to load the bases with no outs, Kirk Haynes, Jr. came on in relief of starter Joseph Serrapica to face freshman DH
Phil Capra and promptly walked the Seahawk designated hitter to force in a run. Sophomore leftfielder
Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/ Pleasantville) tied the game at 2-2 with a one-out sacrifice fly and the Seahawks went ahead, 32, when Ruta scampered home from third on a wild pitch.
In the top of the eighth, Seahawk head coach turned to freshman righty
Douglas Molnar (Toms River, NJ/ Toms River North) to pitch in relief of senior lefty Matt Morrris (Matawan, NJ/ St. John Vianney). With two outs, Jason Lundy reached on an error, allowing Justin Bardwell, who had tripled, to score from third with the tying run.
The score remained tied at 3-3 all the way to the top of the 11
th when the Rams went ahead 4-3 on a two-out wild pitch, which scored Joseph Runco from third base.
The Seahawks then went down in order in the bottom of the 11
th as Fordham held on for the 4-3 win.
Kirk Haynes, Jr., who worked seven innings of relief, picked up the win while senior righty
Nick Pavia (Staten Island, NY/ St. Joseph by the Sea) the fifth of six Seahawk pitchers used in the game, absorbed the loss in relief.
Wagner is next in action on Friday, March 24 when the Seahawks open Northeast Conference play with the first game of a four-game set at Mount St. Mary's with first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m.
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