Pictured Above: Sophomore Mike Ruggiero, who went 3-for-5, with two runs scored in the win at Monmouth this afternoon (Credit: Gerry Nelson Wall '81)
 
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West Long Branch, NJ – Every Wagner baseball starter recorded at least one hit while five of nine regulars drove in at lead two RBIs, led by sophomore SS Mike Ruggiero, as the Wagner baseball team topped Monmouth, 13-4, on Saturday afternoon from MU Baseball Field.
 
With the win, Wagner moves to 6-12 on the season while Monmouth falls to 6-12-1 on the year. The Seahawks and Hawks close out their series on Sunday afternoon. The Green & White will take on Seton Hall later this afternoon at the MU Baseball Field.

Freshman 3B Shamus Connolly and Ruggiero each led the way at the plate for the Seahawks with three hits while both infielders scoring two runs apiece. Senior 2B Anthony Pecora along with juniors Freddy Sabido and Griffin Schneider each added two hits with Pecora, senior Will Johnson, and sophomore Emil Matti adding two runs batted in today's victory.
 
Senior starter, Neil Abbatiello, last 4.2 innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs while striking out four and walking four. LePre, who came on for Abbatiello in the bottom of the fifth, shut down the Hawks, tossing 4.1 scoreless frames while surrendering three hits in picking up the win.
 
Monmouth's Zach Schild and Clay Koniencki each had a pair of hits for the home team while Schild, JD Andreessen, Brandon Taylor and Robbie Holmes were each credited with an RBI. Dan Klepchick (2-2) took the loss, lasting 4.2 innings while allowing 12 runs (11 earned) on 13 hits while walking one and striking out two.
 
Following a scoreless first, the Seahawks erupted for a five-run top of the second inning. Wagner sent nine batters to plate as Sabido and Schneider led off with a pair of base hits. Sophomore catcher, Brandon Hall, reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases.
 
With one out, Connolly singled through the left side that brought in Schneider for the first run. The next batter, Ruggiero, ripped a first-pitch double down the right field line that brought in both Matti and Hall to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Pecora reached on a fielding error by the Monmouth third baseman, which plated home Connolly for the fourth run of the inning before Johnson grounded out to first, scoring Ruggiero in the process, capping the big inning for the visitors.
 
In the third, the Seahawks tacked on three more scores in taking an 8-0 lead. Hall sent a RBI double down the left field line before Matti lofted a sacrifice fly to right as Schneider tagged up from third and scored. Connolly drove in his second RBI of the game on a double to right, plating Hall for Wagner's eighth run of the game.
 
Monmouth got on the board in the bottom of the frame as, with two outs, Schild lofted a double to right field as Norman came into score from second. The Green & White continued to build upon its lead as they added three more in the top of the fifth in extending its lead to double-digits, 11-1.
 
Matti produced his second RBI of the game, as he sent a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Schneider for the third time in the ballgame. Pecora cleared the bases with a two-run triple down the left field line as the lead increased to ten. Johnson then sent a RBI double down the third base line for his first hit of the game as Wagner increased the lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Monmouth was able to tally three runs in cutting the Seahawks lead to 12-4. Monmouth led off the frame with a pair of hits followed by a walk to load the bases. The senior southpaw Abbatiello was able to get the first out of the frame with a strikeout but walked Andreesen and hit Taylor with an errant pitch that closed the gap to 12-3.
 
Abbatiello was able to get Koniencki to pop out to first for the second out but the Hawks scored its third run of the inning on a walk to Holmes that concluded Abbatiello's afternoon.  LePre came on and threw three pitches to get Matt Graber to pop out to second ending the threat.
 
Both relievers traded zeros over the next three innings before Wagner scored its final run in to top of the ninth Ruggiero singled to right field, scoring Matti as the Seahawks took a 13-4 advantage. In the bottom of the inning, LePre needed just eight pitches to retire the Hawks in order, as all three outs were recorded by Pecora at second (two pop outs and a grounder).
 
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