MADISON, N.J. — Wagner had to fight back to make it happen but the Seahawks took a 7-6 win over Coppin State on Saturday, scoring five in the eighth.
It was a two-out, two-RBI single from freshman Brendan McLoughlin then a three-run home run from redshirt junior Evan McRae that made the difference in the game. The Seahawks were trailing 4-2 in the middle of the eighth and down to the last out, McLoughlin sent a single to left to tie the game, then McRae's third long ball of the season put Wagner up 7-4.
The Seahawks scored their seven runs on 12 hits, holding the Eagles to just seven hits. The Wagner pitching staff — redshirt sophomore Joseph Steventon, redshirt junior Braden Lowe and junior Keith Davis — combined to walk just one Coppin State batter. Recording the final out via strikeout, Davis earns his fourth save of the season.
Coppin State got on the board early with an RBI triple to centerfield that was pulled deeper by a strong wind, going over the head of centerfielder Lukas Torres and allowed Terrell Milliner to reach third unscathed.
Wagner answered in the third with a leadoff single from McLoughlin, then McRae pushed the freshman to third with a blooping double that bounced over the Coppin State first baseman and fell into the right field corner. An RBI single from Torres scored McLoughlin, then a fielder's choice from senior Nicholas Mazzotta scored McRae to put Wagner up 2-1.
In the fourth, an RBI groundout and RBI single had the Eagles retaking the lead 3-2. Steventon was able to sit down his batters in order in the fifth, but a hit batter and single in the sixth had Wagner going to Lowe out of the pen. A sacrifice fly was the only damage Lowe let up, putting the Eagles up 4-2.
Junior Diego Tavarez reached third in the sixth but was tagged out at home on a fielder's choice play that kept Wagner off the board for the third of what would be four consecutive innings before the offense picked back up.
Lowe put away the Eagles in order in the seventh and eighth, then Wagner took advantage of Coppin State's first pitching change of the day. The Seahawks opened with three one-out singles to load the bases. A strikeout later, McLoughlin's two-RBI single tied the game. McRae worked a 3-2 count then took Justin Ritz yard, sending a three-run shot over the right field fence.
A double and walk for the Eagles had Wagner calling the bullpen with two outs — Davis allowed a pair of RBI singles before striking out Jordan Treadwell to end the game.
The Seahawks are back at Vincent J. & Lenda F. Naimoli Ballpark for a 3:30 p.m. EDT pitch on Saturday, May 9 as Wagner looks to win a sixth consecutive NEC series.
