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MikeRuggiero
Ross Pirrotta
5
Winner Wagner WAGNER 13-29, 9-10 NEC
4
Central Conn. St. CCSU 22-13, 12-7 NEC
Winner
Wagner WAGNER
13-29, 9-10 NEC
5
Final
4
Central Conn. St. CCSU
22-13, 12-7 NEC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Wagner WAGNER 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 5 13 0
Central Conn. St. CCSU 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 7 0

W: Wright, Frankie (5-4) L: D. Niman (3-4) S: Duquette, Jagger (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Three Home Runs Powers Baseball To Series Opening Win At Central Connecticut

New Britain, CT - The Wagner baseball team clubbed three home runs, two coming from Mike Ruggiero, as the Seahawks held on for a 5-4 road victory at Central Connecticut on Friday afternoon. 

With the win, Wagner (13-29; 9-10 NEC) halted Central Connecticut's (22-13; 12-7 NEC) five-game winning streak. 

Ruggiero powered the Green & White's offense, going 3 for 4 at the plate with those two home runs. Dante Faicchio, who clubbed his team-leading tenth home run of the season, also drove in two RBIs.  Maimu Kobayashi, AJ Vigliotti, and Lukas Torres each had two hits with Kobayashi driving in Wagner's fifth RBI of the day in the later stages of the contest. 

Frankie Wright (5-4) recorded his team-leading fifth win of the season, going five innings, in which he allowed two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out five batters. Jagger Duquette (Sv, 2) picked up a four-inning save, his second of his career, as the Bristol, CT native allowed two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out three. 

Noah Martinez and Kyle Gordon each had two hits to lead the Blue Devils while Hunter Pasqualini drove in two of CCSU's four runs. Martinez and pinch-hitter Tyler Fote added the other RBIs for the home team. Dominic Niman (3-4) tossed five innings, giving up four runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out four while giving up the three home runs to Ruggiero and Faicchio. TJ Wainwright worked three innings, giving up one run on four hits while walking one and striking out a batter before handing the ball to Randy Reyes, who worked a scoreless ninth. 

Kobayashi led off the game with a single to left field before moving into scoring position on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Ruggiero. The next batter, Faicchio, launched his team-leading tenth home run of the season, giving Wagner an early 2-0 lead. 
 

Faicchio's rounder tripper moved him into a tie for seventh place on the Wagner all-time single-season home run list, breaking a tie with former Seahawk, Freddy Sabido. Faicchio now joins Vin Avella (2008), Chris Dick (2002 & 2003), and Dave Noriega (1987), who each connected on ten home runs. 

Following a scoreless second, the Seahawks tacked on another run as Ruggiero ripped the first of his two home runs on the afternoon. The Smithtown, NY native led off the inning with his sixth home run of the season, as the Green & White went ahead 3-0. 
 


The visitors threatened for more as Selby drew a one-out walk before stealing second. A single to right off the bat of AJ Vigliotti nearly plated the fourth run but Selby was thrown out at the plate after the CCSU right fielder fired one to Martinez at first, who sent a strike to Loda at home. 

The Blue Devils narrowed the gap in the bottom of the inning. Gordon led off with a single to center before advancing to second on a grounder from Torniero. With the lineup turning over, Pasqualini connected on a two-run home run to right field, as Wagner held a one-run lead, 3-2. Wright was able to end the inning with a strikeout of Devito. 

The Seahawks struck again in the top of the fifth as Ruggiero clubbed his second home run of the day. With one out, Ruggiero pelted his seventh home run of the season as Wagner upped the lead to two, 4-2. 
 

CCSU tried to stage a rally. Gordon opened the Blue Devils' fifth with a single up the middle before moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. With two outs, Pasqualini and Devito walked to load the bases. Similar to the bottom of the third, Wright was able to strike out Covino, ending the potential threat.

Kobayashi brought home Wagner's fifth run of the contest in the top of the eighth. Lukas Torres led off with a single to center before moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from David Melfi. With two outs, Kobayashi ripped an RBI single to center but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, which ended the frame. 
 

The Blue Devils got on back in the bottom half of the inning as Martinez connected on a solo home run to right that chipped into Wagner's lead to 5-3. 

Reyes was able to retire the Seahawks in order in the ninth. Duquette came back out for his fourth inning of work and got the first two men out. CCSU went to their bench as Fote came on and brought the Blue Devils to within one, 5-4, on a solo home run to right. Pasqualini stepped in as the tying run for the defending NEC champions, but Duquette was able to get him to ground out to Selby at first as Wagner picked up the series opening win. 

Game two of the series is slated for a 1:00 p.m. first-pitch on Saturday. 
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