Pictured Above: Freshman LHP Neil Abbatiello 

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Staten Island, NY - After defeating Central Connecticut 16-2 in the opening game of today's doubleheader at Richmond County Bank Ballpark to move to 5-0 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play, the Wagner baseball team dropped a 2-0 decision in the rain-delayed nightcap.
 
The doubleheader split leaves the Seahawks with a season mark of 9-11, in addition to their 5-1 NEC record, while the Blue Devils pick up their first league win, improving to 1-5 in the NEC, and 8-14 overall.
 
Freshman lefthander Neil Abbatiello (North Salem, NY/ Dobbs Ferry) pitched well in defeat, allowing just two runs on six hits in 4.2 innings of work, with two strikeouts and just one walk. The Blue Devils also received a strong outing from their starter as Andrew Hinckley went the distance in recording the shutout. The righthander scattered seven hits, all singles, over 7.0 innings, while striking out four and issuing three walks.
 
Central opened the scoring in the second inning with what would prove to be the winning run. Corey Lerchehit started things off with a one-out double down the left field line and Nick Garland followed with a double of his own to plate Lerche, giving the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead.
 
CCSU tacked on an insurance run in the fifth. Tyler Coleman laced a leadoff triple to left field and two batters later Dean Lockery rapped a single up the middle to drive in Coleman with the final tally of the game.
 
Senior righty Nathan Hunt (Kirtland, OH/ Hawken School) was effective in relief, tossing 2.1 innings of shutout ball.
 
The Seahawks threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, before Hinckley struck out senior catcher John Lynn (Wallingford, Pa/ Salesianum School [DE]) to complete the shutout and pick up the win.
 
Senior CF Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ / West Windsor-Plainsboro North), whose single started the Seahawks' seventh-inning threat, was 2-for-3 on the evening.
 
Central combined for eight hits, led by Lockery, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI. 
 
The teams conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. The first game will be seven innings, followed by a nine inning contest.
 
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