Pictured Above: Sophomore Mike Ruggiero (Credit: David Cohen)
 
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West Long Branch, NJ – The Wagner College baseball team fell to the Monmouth University Hawks, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon.
 
With the loss, the Seahawks are now 6-14 on the year while the Hawks improve to 7-12-1.
 
Junior RF Griffin Schneider continued his hot hitting, leading the Seahawk bats with two hits while scoring one of the team's two runs in the contest. Sophomore Mike Ruggiero drove in both runs for the visitors.
 
Starter McCae Allen (1-3) lasted two innings while giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit while walking four and striking out three in taking the loss. Newcomer John LaPointe tossed four innings in relief of Allen, striking out two while giving up three runs. Junior Nick Robino came on for the final two frames, yieding one  run on two hits.
 
Monmouth's Rob Hensey (1-2) threw six innings of two-hit ball, allowing one run while striking out five batters and issuing a walk. Ryan Steckline earned the save, tossing the final three frames while striking out three.
 
Zach Schild led the way with two hits while delivering two RBIs in the victory. Five Hawks also added a hit with JD Andreeseen, Johnny Zega and Max Goione also adding one RBI apiece.
 
The host Hawks scored a run in each of the first three innings in taking a 3-0 lead before the Seahawks got on the board in the top of the fifth as Ruggiero lofted a sacrifice fly to center that brought home Schneider, who led off the inning for Wagner with a double to left.
 
Monmouth added two more scores in the bottom of the inning in taking a 5-1 advantage. Schild singled to right field that brought in Kyle Norman before Andreeseen plated home JP Walsh to make it a four-run  lead.
 
Wagner closed the gap to 5-2 in the top of the seventh. Sophomore catcher Brandon Hall reached on a hit-by-pitch and Schneider singled through the left side. Both runners moved on a wild pitch before Ruggiero singled through the left side to score Hall.
 
MU scored its final run of the contest in the bottom half of the inning as Danny Long tripled to right center to start the frame before coming into score on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Schild.
 
The Green & White resumes Northeast Conference (NEC) action as they travel to New Britain, CT for a three-game set against the Central Connecticut Blue Devils, beginning on Friday, March 29.

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