April 10, 2007
Box Score
Staten Island, NY - Wagner (8-16) won for the fourth time in their last five games with a decisive 9-4 victory earlier today at Dr. Bill Willetts Field over a Stony Brook team (12-13) that defeated them by 15 runs last season.
The Green & White used a steady balance of timely hitting and solid pitching to earn their fifth non-conference win of the season.
Freshman Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) picked up his first collegiate victory, striking out three and yielding just one run on one hit in 5.0 innings of work. After giving up a first-inning run, Watson settled down allowing just one runner over the final four frames while retiring 12 in a row at one point.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Seahawk-bats got to work. Freshman Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) was hit by a pitch to start things off. He then stole second on a pickoff attempt by the pitcher before moving down to third on a wild pitch. Classmate Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) walked before senior Ed Sudol (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) singled to left-center to score Csakai and tie the game up. Senior Matt Mastrianni (Ringoes, NJ / Hunterdon Central) then singled to left field to load up the bases. Sophomore Mike Maffucci (Nutley, NJ / Nutley) continued his hot-hitting smoking a two-run single to left field to put Wagner in front 3-1.
Avella, the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week, added to the lead in the third by crushing his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot, over the left-field wall to make it 4-1 Wagner.
Stony Brook would get that run back on a home run from Robert Leonard in the sixth inning. Wagner answered that by scoring three runs while batting around in the bottom part of the inning. Mastrianni and Maffucci led off with singles. Freshman Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) followed up with a single of his own to plate Mastrianni and move pinch-runner Mike Musak (Syracuse, NY / Westhill) to third. Sophomore Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) brought home McDonnell with a double to left-center. Csakai walked to load up the bases and senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) followed suit with a walk of his own to make it 7-2 Wagner.
Stony Brook would score one run in the eighth one a pair of hits before Wagner answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Seawolves cut the lead to 9-4 in the top of the ninth with an unearned run and proceeded to load the bases with two outs. Sophomore Dave Gerhardt (Worcester, MA / Bancroft) entered the game and struck out the first batter he saw to record his first career save. Mike Gionesi (1-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on four hits in 3.0 innings.
Mastrianni went 3-5 while Maffucci was 2-2 with two RBI to lead the Seahawk-offense.
Wagner returns to action on Friday when they host Mount St. Mary's in their NEC home-opener starting at 2 pm.
