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Smithfield, RI - The Wagner baseball team dropped the opening game of today's Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader, 10-4, at first-place Bryant.

With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 10-20 overall and 5-9 in league play while the Bulldogs improve to 22-7 and 11-1 in conference action.

Senior CF Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) finished 3-for-4 at the dish with two runs scored and an RBI.  Junior SS Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep), sophomore LF Kyle Cala (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) and freshman designated hitter Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) each had two hits in the ballgame with Capra driving in two RBIs as well.. 

Senior RHP Nick Pavia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph's By The Sea) suffered the loss (0-3) in his first start since April 29, 2015, after tossing three innings, allowing five hits, seven earned runs and walking three batters. 

Bryant's Matt Albanese drove in a team-leading five RBIs in the game after going 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored while Dan Cellucci and Nick Angelini each went 2-for-2 with a combined five runs scored for the Bulldogs. Brandon Bingel picked up the win (5-2) after throwing four innings, giving up eight hits, four earned runs while walking three and striking out five. Ross Weiner picked up the save (1) after pitching three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk in relief.

Bryant scored the game's first run in the bottom half of the first as Buck McCarthy sent a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Cole Fabio. The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the second inning as Fabio drove in Dan Cellucci to give Bryant a 2-0 lead.

Wagner answered back in the top of the third. With two outs, Mascelli tripled to left center and scored when Nicosia sent a double to left center field, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Following a walk to senior RF Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South), Capra singled through the right side, scoring Nicosia from second to even the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs erupted for six runs in taking an 8-2 lead.  Zach Wood scored on a wild pitch, and Nick Angelini singled to score Malik Daley, giving Bryant a 4-2 lead. 

After Wagner had made a pitching change, bringing in junior left-hander Nick DiLeo (Brooklyn, NY/Xavier [St. John's]), Albanese sent DiLeo's 1-1 pitch down the left field line, clearing the bases and giving Bryant a six-run lead at 8-2.

The Seahawks trimmed the deficit to 8-4 in the top of the fifth after three straight singles which led to the Green & White's third run of the contest. Capra singled through the right side, scoring Nicosia from second.  After Cala had sent a single to left to load the bases, sophomore 3B Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) reached on a fielder's choice which allowed Ruta to score before an inning-ending double play ended the scoring threat.

In the bottom of the stanza, Albanese singled up the middle which scored two more runs and gave Bryant a 10-4 advantage. Wagner had its final opportunity to mount a rally in the sixth. With two outs, back-to-back singles from Mascelli and Nicosia put runners on first and second, but the rally was ended on an inning-ending grounder to second off the bat of Ruta. 

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