Pictured Above: Head Coach Jim Carone and his team captains (Credit: Steve McLaughlin)
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Norwich, CT – The 2018 Wagner College baseball season came to a close on Saturday afternoon as the record-setting Seahawks fell to the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds, 8-5, in game six of the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship as the Blackbirds earn the claim the league title and accompanying automatic NCAA bid.
Led by seventh-year head coach
Jim Carone, who earned his second NEC Coach of the Year honor in 2018, the Seahawks concluded the season with a program-best 38 wins (38-18), in addition to collecting a program-high 21 conference wins (21-7). Additionally, the Green & White were the 2018 NEC Co-Regular Season champions, after finishing tied with Bryant for the most conference wins this season. With today's win, the Blackbirds will take a 31-24 record into NCAA Regional play.
The Seahawks fell behind by a 7-0 margin in this one, before rallying for four run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it a 7-4 game. LIU extended its lead to 8-4 in the top of the eighth, Wagner got one back in the bottom of the frame to make it 8-5, but the Blackbirds were able to hang on.
Wagner earned a spot in today's 4:00 p.m. contest by virtue of eliminating Bryant by a 6-1 count in today's noon matchup. This win lifted the Seahawks into the championship bracket title and meant that, in order to win the NEC title, the Seahawks would need a victory vs. the Blackbirds to force a final and deciding game on Sunday.
At the conclusion of the tournament, it was announced that juniors starting pitchers
Eric Ligda and
Neil Abbatiello were named to the All-NEC Tournament Team. Ligda tossed 6.2 scoreless innings against the newly-minted league champions on Thursday afternoon, holding the Blackbirds to a .190 batting average, allowing just four hits in his start, in the hard-luck 2-1 defeat. Abbatiello then spun a complete-game gem on Friday in leading Wagner to a 3-1 elimination game win over No.4-seeded Mount St. Mary's. Abbatiello fanned six Mountaineers over the full nine while allowing just four hits in holding the Mount to a .133 batting average.
Junior catcher
Phil Capra led the way for the Seahawks today, going 2-for-4 at the dish while driving in three of the team's five RBI in the contest. Junior CF
Joe Silvestrone also had a pair of hits in the contest, while sophomore designated hitter
Freddy Sabido and sophomore 1B
Tyler Sanfillippo added one each RBI in the contest.
Sophomore right-hander
Nick Zuppe (1-1) took the loss, lasting three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on just one hit while walking two men. Freshman RHP
Nick LePre worked the final four innings in his first tournament contest.
LIU Brooklyn's Gregory Vaughn, who was named Tournament Most Valuable Player, went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs for the Blackbirds. Anthony Warneke and Joe Mercadante each had two hits and drove in a combined five runs. Andrew Smith also had two hits and a RBI for the LIU.
The Blackbirds' starter, Jackson Svete, went five innings in picking up the win despite allowing five hits and being charged with four earned runs. Mike Kreiger came on for the save, his seventh of the season.
After a scoreless first two innings, LIU Brooklyn threatened in the top of the third, as Warneke got LIU's first hit of the contest, a one-out single to left. Mercadante walked to give the visitors two runners on and both advance don a Smith grounder before Briggs popped up Zuppe's 0-1 pitch to short, ending the Blackbirds' threat.
In the bottom of the inning, the Seahawks threatened with two outs. Senior second baseman
Kyle Brey continued his torrid pace at the plate, producing his third overall hit of the day, and first against the Blackbirds, with a single to center field. Senior
Anthony Godino reached on a throwing error by the Blackbirds shortstop, giving the Green & White two runners on. Silvestrone then drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases. The next batter, senior
Nick Mascelli, worked the count to 2-2 before grounding out to second to end Wagner's chance.
In the top of the fourth, LIU Brooklyn broke through with four runs with the rally starting when Andrew Turner was hit by a pitch. Edward Modica reached on an error by Brey at second before both men moved up on Zuppe's wild pitch.
Jim Carone then went to his bullpen in the form of junior left-hander
Koby Bishop. Bishop walked the first man he faced, Luis Arias, on six pitches, to load the bases for Dom Paiotti. Bishop froze Paiotti looking at strike three for the first out of the inning. The Blackbirds got on the board as the next batter, Vaughn Jr., singled to left, scoring both Modica and Turner in giving LIU the early 2-0 lead.
The Blackbirds added two more to their lead in taking a 4-0 advantage. Warneke sent a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Arias on the tag up from third to make it 3-0 before Mercadante singled to center to score Vaughn from second. LIU Brooklyn continued its scoring prowess, adding three more runs in to the top of the sixth in taking a 7-0 lead. Warneke singled through the right side to score Paiotti to make it 5-0 before Mercadante sent a two-run single back up the middle to make it 7-0.
Wagner answered back with a four-spot in the bottom of the frame in cutting the deficit to three, 7-4. Godino led off with a free pass followed by two straight hits from Silvestrone and Mascelli. Sabido drew a bases loaded walk, to plate home Godino for the first run of the contest. Capra stepped in the box and roped a two-run single to right, bringing in both Mascelli and Silvestrone to make it a 7-3 contest. Senior first baseman
Tyler Sanfillippo then lofted a sacrifice fly to left to bring home Sabido from third as the Seahawks trimmed the Blackbird lead to three at 7-4.
In the top of the eighth, the Blackbirds tacked on a run making it an 8-4 game after Smith singled up the middle to score Mercadante from third. Mercedante had moved into scoring position on a balk and a wild pitch. Briggs flew out to Godino in left to end the inning. The Green & White clawed back in the bottom half of the inning as Mascelli reached on throwing error by the Blackbird shortstop and moved to third on the Sabido groundout. Capra drove in his third RBI of the contest, with a base knock up the middle to score Mascelli and cut the lead back to three at 8-5.
LePre worked a quick top of the ninth, using just six pitches in retiring the Blackbirds in order. LIU Brooklyn went to its bullpen in the form of Kreiger, who came on for Rob Griswold (3.0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 K). Junior 3B
Anthony Pecora greeted Kreiger with a single through the left side after running the count full. The Seahawks were down to their last out when Silvestrone singled to left center on an 0-2 pitch, extending the inning by a batter. Mascelli then stepped up to the plate as the potential tying-run but sent a chopper that was fielded by Alex Briggs at third, who raced to the third base bag.
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