Staten Island, NY — Wagner baseball honored nine of its graduating seniors on Thursday before taking an 8-1 win to open the Delaware State series.
Behind pitching from four different seniors, the Seahawks held Delaware State to just one run on six hits, striking out eight Hornets in the win.
In the first inning, graduate Lukas Torres led off with a single, stole second and landed at third on a passed ball. A single from senior Bryce Phelps scored Torres to make it a 1-0 Wagner lead.
Wagner exploded in the third, with Torres once against leading off with a single. It was the first of five consecutive singled that ended with Wagner leading 3-0 before graduate Xavier Ulrich became the first out of the inning. A fielders' choice play on sophomore Connor Roche scored another run, then an RBI double from senior Mateo Matthews made it 5-0 Wagner. Senior Xavier Baker walked, then the Seahawks batted around the order with Torres adding another single to score the game's sixth run.
Sophomore Joseph Mennella added a solo home run in the fourth, then the Seahawks scored their final run of the game in the eighth when Baker was able to come home on an overthrown pickoff from the Hornets' catcher.
Starting pitcher Jake Toporek remains perfect this season with an 8-0 record after taking the win on Thursday. In his 6.0 innings pitched, he allowed just two hits and struck out four Delaware State batters. Senior Nate Garcia threw the seventh, where he also held the Hornets off the board.
Finally able to link together multiple hits in an inning for the first time in the eighth, Delaware State scored their lone run of the game by putting a ball into the gap in left center field to score a runner on third. A ground ball allowed a double play that ended any more potential scoring threats.
Senior Michael Cunningham closed out the game, striking out three batters in the ninth to shut the door on the win.
Next up, the Seahawks will close out their weekend in Trenton, New Jersey at the Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Game two will be Friday, May 16 at 3 p.m. EST, then game three will be Saturday, May 17 at 3 p.m. EST as well.
