RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Seahawks came alive in the ninth to score four runs and the Highlanders had no answer for it, with Wagner ultimately taking an 8-6 win over UC Riverside to mark the team's first win of the 2026 season.
The ninth opened with Wagner trailing 4-2 and junior Leo Doyle leading off with a single. He was pushed to third on a double from freshman Brendan McLoughlin as a pinch hitter, the rookie's first collegiate hit. An RBI single from sophomore Matt Sutera scored the run from third, then another RBI single from junior Josiah Ross tied the game at 4-4.
Ross stole second to move into scoring position, then an error on the UC Riverside shortstop allowed senior Nicholas Mazzotta to reach base and Sutera scored to take the lead 5-4. A double steal from Ross and Mazzotta had runners on second and third, then an intentional walk to graduate Lukas Torres loaded the bases. A four-pitch walk was then issued to sophomore Jayden Alvarez, which scored Ross and gave Wagner a 6-4 lead. Back up with two outs, Doyle grounded out to end the inning and give the Highlanders three outs to try to retake the lead.
Senior Nicholas Mazzotta earned his first save of the season as a pitcher in what was also his first outing, throwing the bottom of the ninth for Wagner to protect a two-run lead that ultimately secured the team's first win. He induced a fly out, ground out then gave up a walk before recording the final out. Mazzotta was hit on a comebacker that briefly stopped the game for him to recover, but he stayed on the mound to finish the outing.
It was a six-man effort for the Seahawks on the mound, with sophomore Frankie Nardo earning his third collegiate start, throwing two scoreless innings where he allowed just two hits and one walk. Sophomore William Grayson took over for 0.2 innings where the Highlanders were finally able to break through, allowing their first run of the game. Senior Andrew Rucci entered, going 2.1 innings and striking out four of the 11 batters he faced, more than the rest of Wagner's pitchers combined.
Junior Christopher Collina then took the field, going 1.1 innings without allowing a hit and earning the win. He turned it over to a heavily changed Wagner lineup, backed against a wall and looking to avoid back-to-back weekend sweeps. Mazzotta was able to hold the lead and gets credit for the save.
The pitching staff were able to hold the Highlanders scoreless in seven innings, allowing their four runs to score in the third and fourth before shutting them out across the final five frames.
Wagner turned over a majority of its lineup as it looked to generate offense, with junior Josiah Ross, junior Joseph Mennella and graduate Lukas Torres as the only three players to play the full game, which involved moving Mennella from designated hitter to first base. Wagner finished with six runs on eight hits, with five RBIs and seven walks. Ross was 1-of-4 with an RBI and a walk. Torres was 2-of-3 with two walks.
Junior third baseman Omar Carreras was 1-of-2 with a walk, then Alvarez was put at third base, where he ultimately finished with the walk and an RBI. Doyle was 1-of-2 and McLoughlin, pinch hitting for junior Christian Knight, was 1-of-1 with the double in the ninth. Wagner's final two hits came from the nine-hole hitter, where Sutera was entered as a defensive replacement at second base. He was 2-of-3 with a pair of RBIs.
Next up, the Seahawks will have their first midweek game of the season, a matchup at Seton Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 25. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST.
