Pictured: Sophomore Phil Capra, who hit the game-winning three-run home run over LIU Brooklyn on Friday afternoon (Credit: Dave Saffran)
 
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Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College baseball team pulled out a thrilling 8-5 victory in Friday's Northeast Conference (NEC) series opener against LIU Brooklyn.
 
With the victory, the Seahawks, who have now won seven of their last nine contests, improve to 13-19 and 5-6 in league play while the Blackbirds fall to 15-19 and 5-10 in conference action.
 
Sophomore catcher Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) delivered the game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth en route to a 4-for-5 day at the plate, that saw the sophomore backstop drive in a career-best five RBIs.
 
Junior SS Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) went 1-for-5, the one also coming in the bottom of the ninth, a two-run home run that tied the game at 5-5.
 
Freshman starter RHP Chris Mormile (Wildwood, NJ/Wildwood) lasted 6.1 innings on the afternoon. The first-year Seahawk right-hander went 4.1 frames without allowing a hit before getting into some trouble in the top of the fifth, in which he gave up three runs and four in total. Mormile walked three and struck out a career-best nine batters. Senior RHP Eric McGough (Media, PA / Archbishop John Carroll) earned his first career win throwing a scoreless top of the ninth.
 
The Green & White scored the game's first runs in the bottom of the third. Freshman 1B Nick D'Amore (Philadelphia, PA / Neumann-Goretti) led off with a walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from junior 2B Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) that brought him to second but moved to third on the throw to first.
 
Freshman DH Freddy Sabido (Staten Island, NY/Susan E. Wagner [Saint Louis Univ]) sent a frozen rope that was misplayed by the Blackbirds' first baseman allowing D'Amore to score.  With two outs, Capra sent a double to left, plating Sabido and Brey and giving Wagner a 3-0 lead.
 
Following a scoreless fourth, LIU Brooklyn knotted the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth. A walk and a hit-by-pitch gave the visitors runners on first and second. Charles Misiano ripped Mormile's 2-2 pitch down the left field line, scoring both William Jackson and Harrison Preschel. The next batter, Dom Paiotti, singled back up the middle, scoring Misiano to tie the game.
 
The Blackbirds went up 4-3 in the top of the seventh. Paiotti walked and stole second. After Joe Mercadante struck out, Paiotti moved to third on a throwing error by the Seahawks' shortstop, Mazzio. Sabido came on for Mormile and faced pinch-hitter, Anthony Capo, who singled up the middle, plating Paiotti for the one-run lead.
 
LIU Brooklyn tacked on one more in the ninth to go up 5-3. Preschel singled to center, scoring Luis Arias, who reached on an error by the third baseman and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. McGough was able to settle down and get the final three outs with the ball never getting past the infield.
 
Wagner was down to its last out after a fly out to center and a strikeout. Freshman Eric Lauk (Mullica Hill, NJ / Clearview Regional) pinch-hit for Brey and drew a six-pitch walk.  With the home team down to its final strike, Mazzio clobbered Krieger's pitch over the left field wall for his fifth home run of the season.
 
The rally was on after back-to-back hits from Sabido and junior LF Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville), which setup the eventual conclusion. Capra took Krieger's first-pitch for a ball and then sent the Seahawks into a frenzy as he connected on his third round tripper of the year.
 
The Seahawks and Blackbirds resume their series tomorrow afternoon, April 29, at 1:00 p.m. Saturday's contest will be a doubleheader, with the first game set for nine innings and the second contest slated for seven.
 
 
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