Lakewood, NJ - The Wagner College baseball team trailed 2-1 to the defending Northeast Conference (NEC) champions, Central Connecticut until the Blue Devils recorded a six-run fifth inning while holding off a potential comeback by the Seahawks, taking the series finale, 8-3, on Sunday afternoon at ShoreTown Ballpark. 

Wagner (3-18; 1-2 NEC) had four hits on the afternoon, as the top three hitters - Maimu Kobayashi, Mike Ruggiero, and Dante Faicchio went 3 for 12 with two runs and an RBI. Griffin Selby was credited with Wagner's second RBI while AJ Vigliotti, who made his first collegiate start behind the plate, notched his first career hit on the day. 

Connor Hayden (0-3) took the loss after giving up six runs (four earned) over eight hits in four innings of work. The Aliso Viejo, CA native matched his season-high of three strikeouts. The relief trio of Jagger Duquette, John LaPointe, and Eric Crouse worked the final five innings, allowing just two runs on a combined five hits while striking out three batters, as Crouse finished with two strikeouts. 

Central Connecticut's (9-5; 2-1 NEC) first four batters of Hunter Pasqualini, Jay DeVito, Dan Covino, and Noah Martinez combined to go 8 for 18 with five runs scored and drove in a combined four RBIs, with Martinez plating home three RBIs. Covino and Kyle Gordon each had three hits with Gordon adding two RBIs.

Anthony Mozzicato (3-1) had a no-hitter until the bottom of the fifth as he earned his third win of the season, going six innings while giving up two runs on two hits with five walks and striking out four batters. 

The game went scoreless until the top of the third when the visitors scored twice. Elliot Good led off the inning with a single to right field. Pasqualini reached on fielder's choice while Good reached second on an error by Mike Ruggiero at short. DeVito sacrificed the runners over with a bunt back to Hayden. After fouling the first pitch of the at-bat off, Martinez sent a bases-clearing double to left center as CCSU grabbed the early lead. 

Wagner cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth. Kobayashi and Ruggiero each walked before moving into scoring position on the ground out by Faicchio. Mateo Matthews swung over the top of a Mozzicato curveball, as it got past Sam Loda, allowing Kobayashi to score on the wild pitch. Selby drew a walk with two outs that gave Wagner runners on the corners but DiMaggio Cazares sent one back to the mound as the threat came to a halt. 

The Blue Devils batted around in the top of the fifth, as they scored six runs on six hits in taking an 8-1 lead. Hayden gave up back-to-back hits to Pasqualini and DeVito before Covino doubled to centerfield, which plated home Pasqualini and gave CCSU a two-run lead, 3-1. Martinez followed that with an infield single to first, as Matthews made a diving stop, but Martinez beat Hayden to the first base bag as DeVito came into score the fourth run of the game. 

Wagner went to the bullpen, bringing in Duquette. Loda reached on a five-pitch walk before Aidan Redahan sent a grounder to second, which brought in Covino, making the score 5-1. The next batter, Kyle Gordon, laced a single to center field that scored both Loda and Martinez, as the Blue Devils' lead increased to six, 7-1. Good added an RBI single to left field which made it 8-1. 

The Seahawks scored a run in the sixth and seventh innings. Faicchio led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left field before moving over to third on the Matthews grounder to first. On the first pitch that Selby saw from Mozzicato, Selby sent a hard-hit ground to short, which brought in Faicchio from third. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Lukas Torres pinch-hit for Ethan Valdez and was hit by a pitch. The next batter, Vigliotti, ripped a hard-hit double to left-center, as the Seahawks had a pair of runners in scoring position. The Seahawks loaded the bases after Mimnaugh was hit by a pitch. Central Connecticut went to the bullpen, bringing in Tim Buchek. He was able to get out Kobayashi on a foul out to Loda for the first out. Ruggiero worked the count full until he from space and sent a single to left field that scored Torres, which made it 8-3.  

The Green & White tried to mount a comeback in their half of the ninth, as Vigliotti walked on four straight pitches before Luke Garofalo struck out Mimnaugh and Kobayashi and getting Ruggiero to fly out to right to end the ballgame. 

Wagner will be back on the road, beginning on Wednesday, March 30, as the Seahawks will travel to Seton Hall for a 3:00 p.m. contest. From there, the Green & White will resume NEC play with a three-game set at Mount St. Mary's, starting on Friday, April 1.