Pictured Above: Senior outfielder Anthony Godino (Credit: Greg Fencik)
 
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New Britain, CT - Following a pitcher's duel in which both team's starting hurlers traded zeroes over the first five innings, the Wagner baseball team scored at least two runs in three of the final frames in defeating Sacred Heart, 9-4, on Friday afternoon at CCSU Baseball Field.

With the victory, Wagner improves to 14-10 on the season and 4-1 in Northeast Conference (NEC) action while the Pioneers fall to 5-14 and 1-3 in league play. Additionally, the Seahawks have now secured back-to-back series, after taking two-of-three against Bryant last weekend.
 
Senior LF Anthony Godino was the catalyst behind the Seahawks offensive production at the plate this afternoon, as the Thornwood, NY native went 2-for-4 with a runs scored and drove in four RBIs. For Godino, it marked the second time this season in which he has had four or more RBIs in a game, after he knocked in in four against Saint Joseph's (March 16). Back on April 25, 2015, Godino recorded a career-best six RBIs at home against Central Connecticut.
 
Senior 2B Nick Mascelli and sophomore DH Freddy Sabido each went 3-for-5 on the day with Mascelli scoring three of the Seahawks' nine runs in the contest. The Green & White's 1-through-6 hitters went a combined 11-of-26, with eight runs scored and seven RBIs.
 
Junior right-hander Eric Ligda (4-1) picked up his fourth win of the season after giving up two runs on five hits, while striking out three in 5.2 innings of work. Sophomore RHP Nick Robino tossed the final 3.1 frames, surrendering two runs (one earned) on two hits while striking out two.
 
Elijah Brown led the way for Sacred Heart, going 2-for-5 at the plate while Dan Schock, who went 1-for-4, drove in two of the Pioneers' three runs in the contest. Anthony Capozziello was credited with the other RBI in defeat.  SHU's starter, Brent Teller (2-3), suffered his third defeat on the year after working 5.2 innings, giving up three runs, three walks and fanning six Seahawks.
 
Both starting pitchers traded zeroes and on a combined three hits over the first five innings of play before the Seahawks got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Mascelli led off the inning with a single to left field and advanced all the way to third on a throwing error by SHU's Teller on a failed pickoff attempt. Senior SS Sean Mazzio then ripped a triple down the right field line, plating Mascelli to give Wagner the early lead.  
 
Junior catcher Phil Capra drove in his team-leading 26th RBI of the season as he singled through the left side, scoring Mazzio as Wagner increased its lead to 2-0. Capra then advanced to third after a base hit from Sabido. Junior CF Joe Silvestrone reached on a two-out infield single to third base, which brought in Capra and reloaded the bases in the process as Wagner upped its lead to 3-0.
 
The Pioneers were able to cut the deficit to one, 3-2, in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Brown laced a singled to center and moved to third on a Stephen Thibault double. The next batter, Schock, singled to right, bringing in both runners as the Pios were down by one.

On the ensuing play, Schock stole second and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt from Ligda. A walk to Kyle Oliver ended Ligda's afternoon as the visitors went to the bullpen in the form of Robino. The second-year reliever was able to end the stanza after getting Austin Markmann to ground out.
 
Wagner put together a four-run seventh in building its lead to five at 7-2. Mascelli led off the big inning with a base hit to right and advanced to second after Mazzio drew a walk. All runners were safe as Capra reached on a fielder's choice, which allowed Mascelli to trot home after SHU's first baseman, P.J. DeFilipo, was assessed an error on the play.
 
Sacred Heart went to its bullpen, bringing on Baylor Sundahl for Brendan Coffey and immediately surrendered a two-run RBI single to Godino, as the Seahawks claimed a 6-2 advantage. After base hit up the middle from Sabido, Cala was able to find space on the right side for a RBI single that brought in Godino to cap the scoring in the frame.
 
The Pioneers were able to get one back in its half of the seventh, after Capozziello fouled out to right field but was credited with an RBI sacrifice fly on the play after Cody Doyle tagged up on the play. Robino closed the potential threat with back-to-back fly outs of Brown and Thibault.
 
Wagner tacked on two more in the top of the eighth. Junior 3B Anthony Pecora reached on an infield single to short and Mascelli moved him to third on a double to left field.

With two outs, Godino came up and scorched a single to center for his third and fourth RBIs of the contest as both Mascelli and Pecora came in to score. Sabido kept the hitting going with a base hit, giving Wagner runners on the corners but it didn't lead to any further damage as Cala flew out to right, ending the eighth.
 
The Pioneers had one last chance in the ninth. Down to their last out, Jake Frasca singled to right and moved to second on Robino wild pitch. Isiah Daubon, who came on to pinch-hit for Capozziello, reached on an infield single, giving the home team runners on the corners.
 
Robino was able to strike out Brown, but the ball trickled away from Capra, allowing Brown to reach first and Frasca to come into score. Robino regained his composure and sealed the victory, getting Thibault to fly out to Godino in left.
 
These two teams wrap up their three-game slate tomorrow afternoon, March 31, with first-pitch set for 1:00 p.m. at CCSU Baseball Field.


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