Union, NJ - The Wagner baseball team split its doubleheader against Sacred Heart on Friday at Jim Hynes Stadium at Kean University. Graduate student David Melfi secured the game one victory with a walk-off single before game two went to the Pioneers.

High drama ensued in the opening game of the series as the Seahawks and Pioneers went to extra innings all knotted up at three runs. Enter Melfi, who singled through the left side to score freshman Josiah Ross and temporarily give Wagner sole possession of first place in the Northeast Conference (NEC).

Graduate student Henry Martinez provided Wagner with juice on both sides of the ball. To end the first, Martinez made a spectacular leaping grab in right center. Then, in the fifth, the Chino Hills, CA, native launched his first homer of the season to make it a 3-2 game.

A sacrifice fly in the seventh by senior Lukas Torres tied it up at three.

Both senior Frankie Wright and Sacred Heart's starter Jake Babuschak went seven strong, but Wagner's bullpen prevailed in the battle of NEC heavyweights.

Graduate student Alec Burnett picked up the win after pitching two, no-hit innings in relief. He struck out four Pioneers.

In game two, the Seahawks got off to a quick 5-1 start, with senior Chris Conniff and redshirt senior Xavier Ulrich picking up two RBIs a piece in the early going.

But the wheels fell off from there as Sacred Heart scattered four runs in the fifth and ultimately took the lead in the eighth. 

With LIU's loss to Merrimack, the winner of tomorrow's series finale will take sole possession of first place in the NEC standings. Game three is scheduled for 7:00 pm.