Smithfield, RI – Senior reliever Kevin Wiseman tossed 4.1 scoreless innings of relief while newcomer Jake Lutz drove in the go-ahead runs in the seventh as the Wagner baseball team picked up a 4-1 win in the series finale against Bryant on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, Wagner snaps its five-game losing streak to move to 5-9 overall and 3-6 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play. Bryant drops its first league contest as they now stand at 10-8-1 and 8-1 in league action.
Lutz finished 1 for 4 with two RBI while Tyler Sanfilippo also added a hit and an RBI in today's victory. Henry Martinez and AJ Medrano added base hits as well.
Wagner's starter, Josh Casado, went 4.2 innings this afternoon, allowing only one run on four hits despite walking four and striking out two.
Working into some trouble, Wiseman came on in relief of Casado and closed out the fifth inning by inducing a ground ball. The Axtell, TX native didn't allow a run or a hit over the next four frames as he matched his career-high with six strikeouts in picking up the win.
Four Bulldogs each had one hit in the contest with Derek Smith driving in the lone RBI for the home team. Vito Morgese tossed six innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out 11 Seahawks.
Both Casado and Morgese put up identical zeroes over the first four innings of play. Bryant was able to crack through in the bottom of the fifth off Casado, taking a 1-0 lead. Brian Nicolas reached on a one-out double to left-center and moved to third on a grounder by Matt Woods.
Smith sent a single through the left side as Nicolas crossed the plate for the first run of the ballgame. James Ciliento drew a walk, which put an end to Casado's afternoon. Wiseman came on and got Jake Gustin to ground out to Sanfilippo at first, who flipped the ball to a charging Wiseman for the final out at first.
Medrano led off the top of the sixth with a single through the left side. He stole second during DiMaggio Cazares' at-bat and again tested Bryant's catcher, Damaurys Rodriguez, as he slid under the tag at third.
With two outs, Sanfilippo ripped a hard-hit shot to third as Medrano came home to tie the game at 1-1.
In the bottom half of the frame, Wiseman retired the Bulldogs in order, as he fanned Liam McGill, got Rodriguez to ground out to Mike Ruggiero at short, and added another strikeout, this time off Vincenzo Castronovo.
In the top of the seventh, Griffin Schneider came on as a pinch-hitter and reached base after being hit by a pitch by Liam LeVangie. Ruggiero walked to give the Seahawks two men on before executing a double steal.
Lutz cleared the bases with a hard-hit ball through the left side, giving Wagner a 3-1 advantage. Bryant turned to Christian Allegretti, who recorded the final two outs of the inning.
The Seahawks added one more score in the top of the ninth, making it 4-1. Martinez led off with a single up the middle and moved to second following a strikeout of Schneider. Ruggiero was plunked by a Jack Ipsen errant pitch.
Ruggiero and Martinez turned in Wagner's second double steal of the game, with Martinez coming into score after an error by Woods.
In the bottom of the ninth, Rodriguez was able to reach on a throwing error by Sanfilippo. Wiseman settled back on the mound and struck out Castronov for the first out.
The veteran Seahawk reliever was able to get Tommy DiTullio to pop up to Lutz for the second out before Wiseman closed the door with a strikeout of Nicolas for the final out.
Wagner begins a three-game series with LIU on Friday, April 9, and running through Sunday, April 11 at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, NJ.
