Flemington, NJ – The Wagner baseball team's offense was on full display in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, pelting five home runs in picking up a 14-12 win and splitting the twinbill with Lafayette.
Tyler Sanfilippo powered the Seahawks offense, going 3 for 5 with a career-high three home runs and seven RBIs. He also scored three runs in the win.
The Wayne, NJ native is the first Seahawk since 2018 to hit three home runs in a game as Phil Capra, who clubbed a trio of round-trippers against Villanova back on April 21, 2018.
Joining Sanfilippo in the home run department was newcomer
Caleb Ward, who finished 1 for 3 while also scoring thrice.
Johnny Kampes clubbed his first home run of the season while driving in a pair.
Pat Gallagher toed the mound for his first start of the season, going three innings in which, he gave up three runs on two hits while striking out two.
Josh Casado made his Wagner debut, tossing 1.2 innings in relief of Gallagher, striking out two.
Mike Pirrotta tossed 1.1 innings in picking up his first win of the season.
Kevin Wiseman earned the save after hurling two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Justin Grech had three hits and scored four runs while Pete Ciuffreda drove in four RBI for Lafayette. Kyle Chmielewski added three RBI while going 1 for 3 at the plate in the second game of the day.
Jacob Ciccone took the ball for the Leopards going four innings and giving up five earned runs on four hits in taking the loss.
Inside The Boxscore…
- With today's win, Wagner head coach, Jim Carone, is just three wins shy of 200 for his career.
- Three Seahawks made their collegiate debuts in the second game of today's doubleheader: Jake Lutz, Josh Casado, and Eli Shedd.
- Lutz recorded his first collegiate hit in the second inning with a single to centerfield.
Grech homered to right-center to kick things off for Lafayette. Wagner answered right back with two runs in the top of the second as Kampes connected on a two-run blast to left-center, plating newcomer
Jake Lutz as Wagner took the lead, 2-1.
A back-and-forth affair throughout the game, Lafayette notched two scores in the bottom of the third. Colin Hartey drew a bases-loaded walk that tied the game at 2-2 before Ciuffreda reached on a fielder's choice that plated home Justin Johnson as the Leopards regained the lead.
Wagner put up three runs in the fourth thanks to Sanfilippo, who sent one deep to left field.
The next inning, the Seahawks hung a five-spot on the board, as Sanfilippo once again cleared the bases with one swing, his second, three-run blast of the game as the Seahawks increased the lead to 10-3.
Lafayette chipped into Wagner's lead with two in the bottom half of the inning, as the Seahawks led 10-5.
In the top of the sixth, Ward joined the home run party for Wagner, as he belted a two-run shot to right field as the Seahawks went up by seven, 12-5. Lafayette narrowed the gap with a five-run bottom of the sixth, capped off by a three-run double by Chmielewski as Wagner was ahead, 12-10.
Sanfilippo led off the seventh with a solo home run to left, increasing the lead by three, 13-10. The Seahawks tallied one more run in the top of the eighth as
Jared Gillen scored on a the fielder's choice from
Griffin Schneider.
The Leopards had one last comeback attempt left, scoring twice in the bottom of the frame, as Ciuffreda delivered a two-run double to left.
Wiseman shut the door on Lafayette's chance in the ninth as the Seahawks secured its first win of the season.
Wagner is scheduled to close out the non-conference season against the University of Maine on Saturday, March 13, and Sunday, March 14.
Saturday's game against the Black Bears is slated to be a doubleheader with a noon start time. Sunday's game will be a single-game as first-pitch is also scheduled for noon.
