Wappingers Falls, NY - The #2 seed Wagner baseball team advanced to the third round of the 2023 Northeast Conference (NEC) Baseball Tournament with a 13-2 mercy rule win over #3 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.

The Seahawks scored 11 runs in the first three innings, including a seven-run second inning to help power them to victory. FDU was the first to strike in the top of the first, but it was all Wagner from there.

The Green & White accumulated ten hits in the opening three frames, but were assisted by several miscues by the Knights.

The Seahawks batted around the order in the second inning thanks to five hits and two errors. Seven consecutive batters reached base safely, starting with back-to-back singles by senior Cody Bey and sophomore Mateo Matthews.

Junior Ariv Camacho reached via error, which led to back-to-back RBI singles by senior Maimu Kobayashi and junior Chris Conniff. Another error allowed the fourth run of the inning to cross home plate. A two-RBI double by senior Griffin Selby then made it an 8-1 game before senior Dante Faicchio added a sacrifice fly to cap the inning off.

The early lead was protected by stellar defense and pitching. Sophomore Connor Hayden rang up eight batters, including five in the opening two frames. Senior Jagger Duquette hurled two perfect innings in relief to finish off the Knights. 

On defense, Camacho executed a 6-2 double play on a pop-up to shallow left in the third, while senior David Melfi caught his 24th runner stealing on the season in the top of the fifth. Overall, the Seahawks had zero errors to Knights' four.

Singles from Bey and Camacho in the sixth gave Wagner the chance to close it out in seven innings. Duquette delivered, sending FDU to the loser's bracket via mercy rule and Wagner on to play #1 seed Central Connecticut State.

The Seahawks lost two-of-three to the Blue Devils in late-March. They will get their chance at redemption tomorrow at noon with a shot at advancing to the championship round.