Pictured Above: Senior Nathan Hunt, who pitched five innings of scoreless relief, in game two of Saturday's doubleheader

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Staten Island, NY - In a low, scoring contest that spanned 12 innings, the Wagner baseball team was edged in extra innings, 2-1, in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers.

With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 10-26; 5-14 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while the Mountaineers improve to 9-26 and 6-13 in league play.

Junior leadoff hitter Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) along with senior CF Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) each had two hits with Nicosia scoring Wagner's only run in the contest.  Senior RF Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South), freshman designated hitter Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) and sophomore 3B Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE] each added a hit with Capra delivering his team-leading 28th RBI of the season.

Junior RHP Austin Goeke (Bordentown, NJ/The Hun School) threw six innings of three-hit ball, allowing an unearned run while walking one and striking out two.  Senior Nathan Hunt (Kirtland, OH/Hawken School) was dominant in relief, tossing five innings of scoreless ball, yielding just two hits, a walk, and a career-best seven strikeouts, which includes back-to-back punchouts in the seventh and eighth innings. Fellow classmate, left-hander Paul Mammino (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) took the extra inning defeat (1-3), allowing the eventual game-winning run and walking two.

Mount's Alex Kriss had four of the Mountaineers six hits in the contest while scoring a run and plating one.  Ryan Owens and Zach Hostetter each added a hit in the victory.

The Mountaineers scored first in the opening frame. Hostetter delivered a single to left field which scored Kriss. Tyler Post, who reached on a throwing error by Mazzio, was thrown out at home trying to score after an accurate throw from sophomore LF Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) to junior catcher Brendan Benecke (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) prevented the Mount from taking a 2-0 lead. 

Wagner answered right back in its half of the first. Mascelli ripped a single up the middle but was thrown out trying to steal second.  Nicosia followed up with a single through the right side and advanced on a throwing error by the Mount's shortstop, setting up the go-ahead run on second with two outs. On a full count, Capra sent a hard-hit ball that went for two bases, scoring Nicosia as the Seahawks tied the game at 1-1. 

Over the next four innings, Goeke was dominant, not allowing a hit to the Mountaineers before Owens ripped an infield single to third base before settling in and striking out Kriss and ending the inning with two straight fly-outs.  Hunt came on for Goeke in the top of the seventh. The Kirtland, OH native walked the first batter he saw, Hostetter before inducing a ground out and striking out Chris Wessels and Joshua Lening to end the stanza.

In Wagner's half of the seventh, Mazzio led off with a single to right center and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South).  An intentional walk to Mascelli gave Nicosia a chance, but the senior outfielder retired looking at strike three, sending the game into extra innings.

The Green & White had an opportunity to walk-off in the bottom of the tenth. Nicosia singled to left center field and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Ruta was intentionally walked and a batter later, Godino drew a free pass as well, loading the bases for freshman 1B Anthony Harrold (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic).  On the first pitch in the at-bat, Harrold fouled out behind-the-plate, sending the game to the eleventh. 

Mammino came on in the top of the 12th for Hunt.  The veteran left-hander recorded the first as Wessels ground out to Mascelli.  A walk to Lenig put the go-ahead run at first. Mount went to its bench and inserted Mitch Sgrignoli to run for Lenig. Quealy sacrificed Sgrignoli over to second on a bunt that was fielded by Mammino, who was able to throw him out first.  A walk to Owens set the stage for Kriss, who was able to take Mammino's first-pitch up the middle, scoring Sgrignoli in giving Mount a 2-1 lead in the 12th.  Josh Little, who pitched in Friday's game, was able to seal the win by retiring Mascelli, Nicosia, and Ruta in order. 

These two teams conclude its four-game conference series on Sunday, April 24, with a single, nine-inning contest with first-pitch set for 1:00 p.m.  Wagner is scheduled to throw senior LHP Matt Morris (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) while the Mount is set to send Chad Diehl to the hill.

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