Charleston, SC - The Wagner baseball team is set to commence the 2022 season and the
Craig Noto era with a three-game series against College of Charleston this weekend at The Ballpark at Patriots Point.
The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 1:00 p.m., Saturday at 12:00 p.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
Quick Pitch...
- Wagner was picked fifth in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- The 2022 Seahawks have a balanced mix of returners (18) and newcomers (19).
- Wagner finished the 2021 season 11-25 and 8-23 in league contests.
- Charleston finished the 2021 season 27-25 and 12-12 in the conference.
Probable Rotation: (stats as of completion of 2021 season)
| Date |
Team |
Pitcher |
Wins |
Loss |
ERA |
App-GS |
Innings |
Strikeouts |
Walks |
| Feb. 18 |
Wagner |
RHP Josh Casado |
0 |
2 |
4.50 |
6-5 |
20.0 |
20 |
28 |
|
Charleston |
RHP Ty Good |
7 |
5 |
3.71 |
17-10 |
77.2 |
85 |
27 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Feb.19 |
Wagner |
RHP Daniel Merkel |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
|
Charleston |
RHP Daniel Brooks |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Feb.20 |
Wagner |
RHP Frankie Wright |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
|
Charleston |
LHP Connor Campbell |
6 |
4 |
4.07 |
17 |
8 |
53 |
20 |
From The Dugout... Head Coach Craig Noto:
- "It's an exciting time for the players here at Wagner College!! Opening Day is always a little more special for players and coaches. There is always an electricity that goes with it. The key for us as a ball club will be how we channel that energy into being focused on the field.
- "I have been happy with the way our players have gone about their business since the day they stepped on campus in August. They have shown me on a daily basis that they have the work ethic, dedication and mental toughness needed when you are preparing for a season. Now it's time for us to go compete and play the game and we are looking forward to it."
All-Time Series:
- The Seahawks and Cougars will be facing off against one another for the first time in program history.
- Wagner will be taking on a member from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) for the first time since Feb. 28, 2020, as the Seahawks defeated William & Mary, 5-4.
- Charleston will be facing a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC) for the first time since 2018, as the Cougars played a four-game set against LIU (Feb. 23-27), taking three of four.
About Wagner:
- Last season, Wagner ranked 75th in the nation in stolen bases with 60, while among the top-25 in stolen bases per game, averaging close to 2.0 a contest (1.67). Cody Bey is Wagner's leading returning hitter from last season, posting a .325 batting average.
- David Melfli returns after leading the club with three home runs and tied with teammate Mike Ruggiero with 12 RBI.
- Behind-the-plate, Melfi ranked fifth in the conference with 278 putouts.
- On the hill, the Seahawks bring back nine pitchers from last year's squad.
- Collectively, Wagner finished third in the NEC in strikeouts with a total of 323.
- Of those, the Seahawks were second in the league in batters struck out looking with 90.
- Mike Pirrotta led the team with 12 appearances while making a save in 24.0 innings pitched.
- Pirrotta, along with Nicholas Hanson and John LaPointe each recorded a save last season.
- Newcomer Frankie Wright was tabbed by D1Baseball.com Kendall Rogers as his selection for Freshman of the Year.
- Additionally, Wright was named Impact First-Year Freshmen along with teammate Mateo Matthews.
About College of Charleston:
- The Cougars were picked to finish third in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
- Trotter Harlan, Ty Good and Tanner Steffy were each named to the Preseason All-CAA Team while Jared Kirven and Joseph Mershon each garnered Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention recognition.
- Last season, College of Charleston advanced to the semifinal round of the CAA Championship.
- The 2022 version of the Cougars returns a total of 10 starters from last year's squad, which includes Landon Choboy, Connor Campbell and Cam Dean.
- Mershon returns as the team's top hitter, as he finished the 2021 season with a .291 batting average with five home runs and 24 RBI. He was 10 of 13 in stolen base chances while appearing in all 52 games.
- Good went 7-5 for the Cougars a season appearing in 17 games while earning the start in ten of those contests. He finished the year with a 3.71 ERA, a save, and team-leading 85 strikeouts.
