Pictured Above: Junior Freddy Sabido (Credit: Robert M. Pimpsner, PinstripedProspects.com)
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Staten Island, NY – The Wagner College baseball team led 4-2 heading into the ninth inning before the visiting Bryant Bulldogs scored three runs in the frame to edge the Seahawks, 5-4, in game one of Saturday's doubleheader from Richmond County Bank Ballpark.
With the loss, the Seahawks fall 15-22 and 8-8 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while Bryant moves to 29-13 and 11-2 in conference action.
Seniors
Anthony Pecora and
Joe Silvestrone along with junior
Tyler Sanfillippo and sophomore
Mike Ruggiero each had two hits in game one with Pecora, junior
Freddy Sabido, Sanfillippo and senior
Will Johnson each adding an RBI.
Senior starter
Eric Ligda gave up two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 7.1 innings while not factoring into the decision. Junior
Nick Robino (2-2) took the loss after lasting 1.2 frames, in which he gave up the three runs on two hits while striking out two and walking a pair.
Gaby Cruz led the Bulldog offense, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and driving in four RBIs in the contest, which was highlighted by two homeruns, the later turned out to be the go-ahead three-run blast. Jake Gustin added an RBI while going 1-for-4.
Jack Owens picked up his fourth win of the season while Chris Wright, who started the day playing first base and going 1-for-4 at the plate, earned his tenth save of the season.
Wagner jumped ahead in the bottom of the first as Sanfillippo doubled down the left field line that scored Pecora. Johnson plated the second run with a grounder to short that scored Silvestrone.
The Seahawks tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second in taking a 4-0 lead. Sophomore
Emil Matti and Ruggiero kicked off the frame with a pair of singles before freshman
Johnny Kampes moved them over on the sacrifice bunt. Pecora lofted a fly ball to left that score Matti before Sabido sent a single to right center to score Ruggiero that made it 4-0.
Ligda continued to cruise on the mound, behind stellar defensive plays from Ruggiero and Johnson.
The Seahawk senior right-hander didn't allow a hit until the fifth with two outs, in which the Bulldogs were able to also plate across its first run of the game. After getting the first two outs in the frame, Nick Angelini singled to left field. A walk to Cruz gave the visitors a pair of runners.
The next batter, Gustin, singled to right, which scored Angelini, but Gustin was out at second trying to extend a single to a double as Wagner junior RF
Griffin Schneider fired home to Kampes, who threw a strike to Pecora, who applied the tag for the final out of the inning.
The game remained in Wagner's favor until the top of the eighth. Cruz led off the inning with a solo homer off Ligda that made it 4-2. Robino came on for Ligda. After walking the first man he saw, Robino was able to get out of trouble by striking out James Ciliento and getting Jimmy Titus to fly out to center.
Wagner had a chance in the bottom of the eighth to add to its lead. Silvestrone singled up the middle and Sanfillippo doubled down the left field line, which moved Silvestrone to third.
Bryant's Steve Theetge, who also went 7.1 innings in taking a no-decision, was replaced by Owens, who ended the Green & White's rally with a pair of strikeouts.
In the ninth, Wright led off with a base hit to right. Robino was able to get Sam Owens for the first out before Angelini drew a walk. With the count at 2-2, Cruz sent a deep drive to centerfield that ultimately cleared the wall and put the visitors ahead, 5-4.
Down to its final inning, Pecora sent a two-out single down the right field line and Sabido walked but Silvestrone was retired by Wright on strikes in sealing the win for Bryant.
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