Pictured Above: Sophomore 3B Anthony Pecora (Photo Credit: Dave Saffran)
 
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Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College baseball team was held to just one run on three hits in falling to LIU Brooklyn, 5-1, in game one of Saturday afternoon's doubleheader.
 
With the loss, the Seahawks fell to 13-20 overall and 5-7 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while the Blackbirds improved to 16-19; 6-10 in league play.
 
Senior RHP Austin Goeke (Bordentown, NJ/The Hun School) took a no-decision after throwing six scoreless innings of three-hit ball, walking five and striking out four batters, upping his season strikeout total to 61. Sophomore LHP Neil Abbatiello (North Salem, NY/Dobbs Ferry) took the loss, falling to 0-4 on the season after pitching the final three innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, three of which were earned while striking out two batters.
 
At the plate, sophomore 3B Anthony Pecora (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) went 1-for-3 with the lone RBI for the Green & White. Junior SS Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) and junior RF Kyle Cala (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) each went 1-for-4 at the plate.
 
Both teams traded zeroes over the first three innings before the Seahawks scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third.  With one out, Cala reached on a bunt single while sophomore catcher Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) found himself on third after an error by the Blackbirds' third baseman. On a 0-2 pitch from LIU Brooklyn starter, Patrick Clyne, Pecora ripped a double down the left field line that scored Capra, giving Wagner a 1-0 edge.
 
Goeke worked a scoreless fifth and sixth and left with the 1-0 lead after a 102-pitch outing. Abbatiello came on in the top of the seventh. The Blackbirds found their rhythm, scoring three runs in the inning, in taking a 3-1 lead.
 
Andrew Smith led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Charles Misiano. The next man up, Dom Paiotti, singled up the middle, scoring Smith for LIU's first run. Following Luis Arias reaching on a fielder's choice and a steal of second, Joe Curcio delivered a two-run single to right center giving the visitors the lead.
 
The Blackbirds added two more runs in the ninth, upping their lead to 5-1 as Arias sent a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Paiotti and Curcio drove home his third RBI on a sac-fly to left.
 
The Seahawks were retired on three straight grounders to short as Clyne picked up his third win of the season in going the distance.

The Seahawks were retired on three straight grounders to short as Clyne picked up his third win of the season in going the distance.

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