Pictured Above: Junior outfielder Kyla Cala (Photo by: Dave Saffran)
 
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Bridgeport, CT – The Wagner College baseball team fell to the Sacred Heart University Pioneers 6-4 in the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader from the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, finishing with a split of today's doubleheader as the Seahawks took game one by a 4-3 count.
 
With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 12-19 and 4-6 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while Sacred Heart improves to 13-25 and 6-6 in league contests.
 
Sophomore 1B Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) and sophomore 3B Anthony Pecora (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) each went 2-for-3 in game two of Sunday's doubleheader. Junior RF Kyle Cala (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) drove in two RBIs and recorded his fourth home run of the season. Junior LF Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) scored two runs while going 1-for-2 with two walks. Pecora and sophomore CF Joe Silvestrone (Manalapan, NJ/Freehold Township) drove one RBI apiece.
 
Freshman starter, RHP Chris Mormile (Wildwood, NJ/Wildwood) lasted 3.1 innings, giving up two hits and  four earned runs while walking four and striking out five in taking a no decision. Sophomore LHP Neil Abbatiello (North Salem, NY/Dobbs Ferry) took the loss (0-3), pitching 1.2 innings in relief of Mormile, and gave up two hit and two earned runs while walking two and striking out four. Second-year right-hander Douglas Molnar (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) threw a scoreless frame, giving up just one hit while facing three batters.
 
Sacred Heart's PJ DeFilippo led the way for the Pioneers, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Alex Perry was credited with the go-ahead RBI on his bases loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
Wagner scored the game's first run in its half of the first. SHU's starter, John Sostarich, was able to record the first two outs on back-to-back strikeouts but lost command of the strike zone, issuing three straight walks to Godino, Capra and Cala. Pecora stepped into the box with the bases loaded and forced the count full at 3-2 before he sent a hot-shot to third for an infield single with Godino scoring on the play.
 
Following a scoreless second inning, the Seahawks erupted for three runs on four hits in the third, taking a 4-0 lead. Godino led off the frame with a single through the left side. With one out, Cala belted his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall in extending the Seahawks lead to 3-0. Pecora reached with Wagner's second straight hit. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Silvestrone tripled to left field, scoring Pecora, putting Wagner up four.  Sacred Heart went to the bullpen in the form of Jackson Aldam, who retired the next two batters via strikeouts in ending the threat.
 
Mormile was spinning a gem of a game until he ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of walks to Brown and Thibault gave the Pioneers runners on first and second with no outs. Mormile was able to battle back and record his fifth strikeout of the game.  On a 1-1 pitch, Mormile lost his no-hit bid when Klebart singled to center, scoring Brown from second as the Pioneers trailed 4-1.
 
The next batter, DeFilippo, singled to right, plating Thibault as Sacred Heart cut the deficit in half at 4-2.  Mormile proceeded to hit Markmann on the first pitch of the at-bat. SHU trimmed the Wagner lead to one, 4-3, as Schock drew a seven-pitch walk, scoring Klebart, which knocked Mormile out of the game. Sophomore LHP Neil Abbatiello (North Salem, NY/Dobbs Ferry) came on for Mormile. Abbatiello was able to strike out Doyle for the second out but walked Perry, after going ahead 0-1 in the count, which forcing in DeFilippo and tying the game at 4-4.
 
Sacred Heart scored the go-ahead marker in the bottom of the fifth as a two-out double from DeFilippo scored Capozziello, who walked, giving the Pioneers a 5-4 advantage. Following a scoreless top of the sixth, the Pioneers added an insurance run to go ahead by two, 6-4. Schock led off with a triple to right center prompting the Seahawks to go to the bullpen for the second time in the game as Molnar came on for Abbatiello. On Molnar's second pitch, Doyle laced a double to right, scoring Schock.
 
The Seahawks had a chance in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Godino drew a walk and Capra took an 0-2 pitch to right center field as Godino raced around second and headed for third on the play but the tying runs were stranded as Cala grounded out to third, ending the ballgame.
 
Wagner returns home to Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George as to host the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds in a four-game weekend set, beginning on April 28 at 3:00 p.m.

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