Pictured Above: Senior 2B Nick Mascelli (Credit: Dave Saffran)
 
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Durham, NC – The Wagner baseball team trimmed a 6-1 deficit to 6-4 in the seventh inning but North Carolina Central tacked on four more insurance runs in sweeping Sunday's doubleheader, taking game two by a final score of 10-4.
 
Wagner falls to 1-2 on the young season while the Eagles improve to 2-1.
 
Junior CF Joe Silvestrone went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the nightcap of Sunday's twinbill while senior 2B Nick Mascelli went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Senior SS Sean Mazzio and junior 1B Will Johnson each added an RBI in the contest.
 
Newcomer Kevin Wiseman, who made his first collegiate start in today's contest, gave up four earned runs while allowing just two hits in 3.1 innings of work while walking five and striking out three batters in defeat. Freshman Mike Pirrotta saw his first action of the season, facing six batters in 0.2 innings. Sophomore Nick Robino, who earned his first career win in Friday's ten-inning triumph, came on to toss 3.1 frames while striking out three.
 
N.C. Central got most of its production from the top half of its lineup as Carter Williams and Evan Holland went a combined 4-for-7 with four runs scored and five RBIs. Corey Joyce went 1-for-5 while matching Williams' team-high three RBIs in the victory. Jake McCort, who earned his first victory of the season, tossed five innings of four-hit ball, giving up three runs while walking two and striking out four. Chris Kernen, Justice Sampson and Austin Vernon combined to throw four innings of one-run ball, while recording three combined strikeouts.
 
The Eagles got on the board first in this one, plating two in the bottom half of the first inning. Williams led off the N.C. Central first with a walk and ultimately came in to score as Wiseman's pitch to Joyce went to the backstop. Joyce stepped back into the batter's box and sent a grounder to short, which allowed Holland to score the Eagles'second run of the contest.
 
The Seahawks cut the deficit to one, 2-1, in the top of the second. Sophomore DH Freddy Sabido doubled to right center to lead off the Wagner second and moved to third after junior catcher Phil Capra grounded out to first.
 
The next batter, Johnson, sent a hot shot down the first base line that was bobbled by Zach Michalski, allowing Sabido to come racing home. The home team got one back in their half of the second as Williams sent a two-out single up-the-middle as Ryan Decker, who singled, scored from second base in giving the Eagles a 3-1 advantage.
 
Following a scoreless third inning, NCCU added three more tallies in the bottom of the fourth in increasing its lead to 6-1. Williams sent a single to left field, scoring both Andrew Valichka and Jacob Raby. Holland drove in Williams as he sent an RBI single to right field for the third run of the frame.
 
Wagner was able to stage a comeback in the top of the fifth, as the Seahawks scored twice in trimming the lead to 6-3. Silvestrone led off with a single to left and moved to third when junior 3B Anthony Pecora doubled down the left field line, giving the Seahawks runners in scoring position with only one out.  Mascelli then stepped in and laced McCort's 2-2 pitch to left, scoring both Pecora and Silvestrone.
 
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Green & White cut the Eagles' lead down to just two at 6-4 in the top of the seventh. Silvestrone was once again at the forefront, leading off with a double down the right field line.
 
With Wagner facing two outs, Mascelli was plunked by an errant pitch, giving the Seahawks two runners. With the count at 1-1, Mazzio ripped a double to right, moving Mascelli to third and scoring Silvestrone.

Senior LF Anthony Godino then reached first after he was hit, which prompted N.C. Central to go to the bullpen. Sampson came in for Kernen to face the southpaw Sabido. With the count at 2-2, Kernen was able to end the Seahawk' comeback attempt as Sabido went down on strikes.
 
The Eagles put the game away in the bottom of the eighth, crossing the plate four times in taking a 10-4 lead. Holland drove in his second RBI of the contest with a base hit up-the-middle.

Following a walk to Mitchell McCrary to reload the bases, Joyce sent a double down the left field line, bringing in Holland and Valichka and N.C. Central was able to hold on to take two of three from the Seahawks in the team's first-ever meetings.
 
Wagner remains on the road as the Seahawks will travel to Baltimore, MD for a three-game set against Coppin State, beginning on February 24. The Seahawks-Eagles matchup on Feb. 24 is slated to be a doubleheader, followed by a single game on Feb. 25.

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