Teaneck, NJ - The Wagner College baseball team led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) loaded the bases on three walks before senior closer
Kevin Wiseman struck out the final two batters swinging as the Seahawks took the rubber game of the weekend series from the Knights.
The win was a milestone achieved for tenth-year Seahawk head coach,
Jim Carone, as he collected his 200th career victory as bench boss of the Wagner baseball team.
Coach Carone joins Joe Litterio as the only two coaches in Seahawk history to win 200 or more games as Litterio finished his 12-year tenure on Grymes Hill with 240.
Jared Gillen continued his hot hitting, collecting three more in today's series finale while driving in two runs;
DiMaggio Cazares also drove in two.
Jake Lutz and
Mike Ruggiero added two hits while
Tyler Sanfilippo added an RBI in the victory.
Josh Casado took the ball for Wagner and went four innings while giving up one run on one hit while yielding six walks but recording a career-high seven strikeouts.
Nick Zuppe moved to 2-0 on the year after throwing three innings in relief of Casado. The veteran Seahawk right-hander struck out four batters and walked one. Wiseman picked up his third save of the season after striking out six over his two innings of work.
Brad Levinson collected two hits for the Knights while James Donlon drove in a pair. Hunter D'Amato and Jake Ellowitz also drove in an RBI for FDU.
Aaron Cohn took the loss, lasting just two innings in which he allowed five runs (two earned) on five hits. Jude Baxt limited the damage for the home team, going 5.2, giving up one run on four hits. Chris Quijano and Marc Bisogno combined to pitch 1.1 innings and allowed two hits and a walk.
Inside The Boxscore…
- Wagner pitching (Casado, Zuppe, Wiseman) combined to strikeout 17 Knights this afternoon, surpassing the previous season high of 11, set against Lafayette (Game 1) back on March 6.
- Gillen produced his fourth multi-RBI game of the season, which currently leads the team.
- Sanfilippo has now reached base safely in team-best seven straight games.
The visitors jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Cazares opened the game by reaching on a fielding error by the FDU third baseman and came around to score on an RBI double to right-center by Gillen. Sanfilippo followed it up with a double to left, which brought in Gillen to make it 2-0.
Wagner plated three more runs in the second in building a 5-0 lead. Lutz drove a one-out single to center and Ruggiero reached on an infield single to short. The next batter,
AJ Medrano, scorched a one-hopper to third that was misplayed by Ellowitz, allowing Lutz to score the Seahawks' third run of the game.
Medrano and Ruggiero executed a double steal before Cazares ripped the first pitch he saw to left as the Green & White went ahead by five runs.
FDU got on the board in their half of the fourth, as Ellowitz reached on fielders' choice to second base as Veit, who walked to lead off the frame, came in to score.
Wagner added one in the seventh, as they went ahead 6-1. With two outs, Gillen singled back up the middle, bringing in Ruggiero.
The Knights cut into the Seahawks lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the deficit down to two, 6-4. With two outs, Donlon connected on a two-run home run to center field and D'Amato sent one to right-center field against Zuppe.
Wiseman started the eighth inning for the visitors with a lead-off walk to Tommy Verga before Levinson doubled down the left-field line, as both runners moved into scoring position. FDU sent up Tony Socci as a pinch-hitter for Ellowitz and was set down after looking at strike three from Wiseman for the first out of the inning. Wiseman got Werner to chase at strike three for the second out before intentionally walking Ruscitti. Justin Sierra stepped to the plate with a chance to give FDU the lead, but Wiseman set him down on three straight pitches.
Wagner nearly added another tally in the ninth. Cazares sent a one-out single through the left side before Gillen recorded his third hit of the game, a double down the right-field line. Cazares charged his way to the plate but a well-timed relay throw from Sierra to D'Amato to the catcher, Ruscitti, stopped Cazares attempt, keeping the game within two.
Fairleigh Dickinson staged a rally in the last of the ninth. Donlon walked before Wiseman got D'Amato to swing and miss for the first out. Back-to-back walks to Veit and Verga loaded the bases for Knights, which sent up Levinson. He couldn't catch up to Wiseman's pitch and swung over-the-top for the second out.
The Knights' final chance came in the form of David Bordieri Jr. Wiseman settled down and was able to retire Bordieri Jr. on three straight pitches, which sealed the series for Wagner and gave Carone his 200th career victory.
Wagner is set to begin a three-game series with Sacred Heart University, Friday, March 26 through Sunday, March 28.
