Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
2019 NEC Baseball Tournament Headquarters
Norwich, CT – Following the conclusion of the 2019 Northeast Conference (NEC) Baseball Tournament, in which the No. 2 seeded Central Connecticut bested the No. 1 seed, Bryant, 3-2 on Sunday afternoon to claim the league's automatic NCAA Tournament bid, the conference announced that two members of the Wagner baseball team were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Junior designated hitter and 2019 All-NEC Second Team honoree,
Freddy Sabido, along with classmate, 1B
Tyler Sanfilippo, represented the Seahawks on the nine-member team. Sabido and Sanfilippo join CCSU's Tom Curtin, who was named Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP), Jared Gallagher, TT Bowens and Buddy Dewaine along with Bryant's Steve Theetge, Gaby Cruz and Jimmy Titus.
This marks the third straight year in which Wagner has had multiple members tabbed to the All-Tournament team, as Sabido/Sanfillippo join teammates
Neil Abbatiello and
Eric Ligda, who were named to last year's squad and former Seahawks'
Chris Mormile and
Kyle Brey, who were the first pair of teammates to be included on the All-Tournament team.
2019:
Freddy Sabido, DH |
Tyler Sanfilippo, 1B
2018:
Neil Abbatiello, LHP |
Eric Ligda, RHP
2017:
Chris Mormile, RHP |
Kyle Brey, INF
2016: No player selected
2015: No player selected
2014:
Trey Nicosia | CF
2013: No player selected
2012: No player selected
2011: No player selected
2010: Vin Avella, 1B
2009: No player selected
2008: No player selected
2007: Did not qualify for tournament
2006: No player selected
2005: No player selected
2004: No player selected
2003: Did not qualify for tournament
2002: Did not qualify for tournament
2001: Did not qualify for tournament
2000: Steve Coppola, LHP | Tournament MVP
1999: Did not qualify for tournament
1998: Did not qualify for tournament
Sabido recorded at least two hits in all three games during the tournament, as the Staten Island native batted .583 while posting a total OPS of 1.584, highlighted by a .917 slugging percentage. After going 2-for-4 on day one against the eventual champions, CCSU, the towering 6'7" left-handed slugger notched three hits while scoring two runs as the Seahawks survived elimination against Sacred Heart on day two. In the third inning against the Pioneers, Sabido drove in sophomore
Emil Matti with an RBI triple to left that gave the Seahawks a 3-0 lead. On day three, against the Blue Devils, Sabido led off the bottom of the fourth with his second triple of the tournament.
Sanfilippo was a key contributor in Wagner's three tournament contests. The Wayne, NJ native had a 1.280 OPS as he slugged .818 while driving in six RBIs for Wagner. After the Seahawks first baseman went 1-for-4 in the tournament opener, Sanfillippo collected three hits while scoring three runs and driving in four RBIs in Wagner's 11-7 victory that eliminated the Pioneers from tournament play. Sanfillippo belted Ryan Lamay's 0-1 pitch to the deepest part of left field, as the ball ricocheted off the wall that scored Wagner's first run. In the top of the seventh, Sanfillippo drew a bases loaded walk, which brought a run that gave the Seahawks a 9-5 advantage. In the top of the ninth, with two outs, Sanfillippo mashed a two-run home run that extended the Green & White's lead to 11-7, in which Wagner went on to win by that score.
