Picture Above: Sophomore RF Kyle Cala, who connected on two home runs in the contest. 

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Brooklyn, NY – Sophomore RF Kyle Cala (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) connected on his first career multi-home run game but it wasn't enough as the Wagner baseball team fell to the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds, 5-3, in game two of Friday's doubleheader.

With the setback, the Seahawks, who have now dropped a season-high six straight, fall to 9-15 overall and 5-5 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while the Blackbirds improve to 7-18 and 2-6 in league play.

Cala, along with senior designated hitter Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South) and freshman catcher Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) each had two hits on the afternoon with Cala scoring two runs and driving in two RBIs. Capra added an RBI and a walk. 

Senior RHP Mike Adams (Egg Habor Township, NJ/Holy Spirt) allowed four runs (three earned), eight hits over his five innings of walk despite walking two and striking out four as the veteran right-hander falls to 1-4 on the year.  

Offensively for LIU Brooklyn, Kyle Ruth led the way with a 3-for-3 day at the plate while Andy Camilo went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Brian Lamboy also added two hits in four at-bats. 

Blackbirds starter, Brian Drapeau, tossed five innings of eight-hit ball, allowing two earned runs while walking one and striking out three for his first win of the season (1-4).  Mike Kreiger came on in relief of  Drapeau, pitching two innings, allowing one run and two hits with a strikeout for his first save of the 2016 season. 

After a scoreless opening inning, Wagner got the scoring going in the top of the second as  Cala drove Drapeau's 2-1 pitch over the right field wall for his second career home run, giving Wagner a 1-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the frame, the Blackbirds threaten. After a strikeout of Mark Hernandez, Camilo singled and advanced to third on a double to right-center off the bat of Kyle Ruth.  Before settling in to face William Jackson III, Adams used a quick pickoff move to retire Ruth at second for the second out before getting Jackson to fly-out to center ending the Blackbirds threat.  

In the bottom of the third, LIU tied the contest at 1-1. A lead-off walk to Charles Misiano set things in motion for the home team. After back-to-back groundouts, which advanced Misiano to third, Tommy Jakubowski reached on a fielding error by Mascelli, which plated Misiano to knot the game at one.  Wagner stopped LIU's momentum as Hernandez grounded to short with Mascelli flipping to sophomore 2B Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown) for the final out of the inning. 

Wagner regained the lead in the in the top of the fourth as Cala struck again with his second home run of the contest. Facing a 2-0 pitch, the second-year Seahawk delivered a towering shot that sailed high over the left field wall, as the ball sailed out of the park giving Wagner a 2-1 lead. 

LIU rallied back to take a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Jakubowski doubled down the right field line, scoring Brian Lamboy, who reached on a double to right, tying the game at 2-2.  Camilo delivered the go-ahead runs on a two-run single to right field.  LIU added another run in the bottom of the sixth as a Lamboy was thrown out, trying to steal second which allowed Misiano to score on the throw over. 

With Wagner facing its last at-bats, sophomore LF Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) was given first base after being hit by a pitch. The next batter, Ruta, singled down the left field line, moving Godino to second as the Seahawks had runners on first and second with just one out.  After taking a strike, Capra sent a hot shot to second base and beat the throw for an infield single, scoring Godino as the Green & White were down 5-3. On a 3-1 pitch, senior John Lynn (Wallingford, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) hit into the game-ending 6-4-3 double play as the Seahawks losing streak reached a season-high six games. 

The conclusion of this four-game conference series is set for Sunday, April 10 beginning at 12:00 p.m. from LIU Field.  Fans can catch the game live on NEC Front Row (links available on within the Baseball Schedule Page).

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