Staten Island, NY — The Seahawks took a 9-3 loss to LIU on Saturday to drop their series against the Sharks.
It was a slow offensive game through the end of the fifth with the Seahawks leading 2-1, but a five-run sixth from the Sharks had Wagner unable to answer. Now 7-10 on the season, the series puts the Seahawks at 4-2 in Northeast Conference play.
The Seahawks finished the game with three runs on six hits. LIU put up nine runs on 10 hits, taking advantage of the bullpen after Wagner's starting pitcher Colin Trizuto had his best outing of the season. The junior threw 107 pitches in 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on three hits. Trizuto walked four and struck out six of the 22 batters he faced. This was his longest outing of the season, compared to 4.0 innings pitched on February 23 against Merrimack where he put up similar numbers.
After Trizuto's outing ended, five Wagner relievers allowed eight runs. The pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts on Saturday.
When the Wagner lineup was making contact, the hitting was contagious. Lead-off hitter Lukas Torres went 2-of-4 on Saturday, with junior Nicholas Mazzotta and sophomore Diego Tavarez each following the graduate senior with a hit of their own. Torres is batting .328 this season with Tavarez following at .310 and Mazzotta sitting just behind at .310, all through 17 games.
Hitting sixth and seventh, respectively, sophomores Connor Roche and Joseph Mennella added the Seahawks' other two hits. Mennella's hit was a two-run home run in the fifth that scored Roche, who had doubled to left on the previous play. Mennella also worked the only walk issued to Wagner.
Mennella has now homered in back-to-back weekends, launching two out of the park in last weekend's series at Norfolk State.
Next up, the Seahawks remain at SIUH Community Park for a rematch with Seton Hall on Tuesday, March 18. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST.
