Box Score | Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) | Mazurkiewicz Postgame Interivew

Brooklyn, NY - Juniors Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ / Somerville) and Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) each homered and senior RHP Ryan Casey (Paramus, NJ / St. Joseph's Regional) didn't allow an earned run over 5.2 innings of work in leading Wagner to a 6-2 victory over LIU Brooklyn in the Northeast Conference (NEC) opener for both teams.

Thanks to winning their 10th NEC lidlifter in the last 12 years, the Seahawks improve to 4-17 while the Blackbirds fall to 12-10-1.

Trailing 1-0 after three innings, the Green & White exploded for six runs over the next two frames in grabbing an insurmountable 6-1 lead. LIU Brooklyn would trim the deficit to 6-2 with a run in the sixth inning but was unable to get any closer as junior RHP Anthony Battaglia (Staten Island, NY / St. Joseph's By The Sea) collected the rare 3.1-inning save. Battaglia yielded just one hit and struck out two in picking up his first save of the season and the 11th of his career.

Dini led an offensive attack that recorded double-digits in hits (11) for just third time this season, finishing up 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two stolen bases.

LIU Brooklyn opened the scoring when Kevin Needham following a failed pickoff attempt at second.

Wagner threatened over the first three innings before breaking out with three runs in the fourth. With one out, senior Shaun Flynn (Tabernacle, NJ / Burlington CC) worked the count full before earning a walk. Junior Jason Gordon (Baltimore, MD / Archbishop Curley) followed with a double down the right field line. On the play, Flynn advanced to third before scoring on an error by the first baseman while tying the game at 1-1. Mazurkiewicz then hit his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to right field while giving the Seahawks a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.

After Casey recorded his second-straight 1-2-3 frame, the Green & White was right back at it in the top of the fifth. Freshman Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ / Seton Hall Prep) led off with a walk before moving to second on Chris Smith's (Sr., Tampa, FL / Ellsworth CC (IA)) sacrifice bunt. Dini then crushed his third home run of the year, a deep shot over the left field fence to extend the advantage out to 5-1. Later in the  inning, sophomore John Lynn (So. Wallingford, PA / Salesianum School (DE)) pushed the lead out to 6-1 when his two-out bases loaded single plated Flynn.

Casey then ran into some trouble in the bottom part of the frame, walking the first two batters. However, the Garden State native induced a fly out before picking off the runner at second base for out number two. Then following a single, he induced a routine grounder to first for the final out while preserving the five-run Seahawk advantage.

The Blackbirds would finally knock Casey from the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to trim the deficit to 6-2. However, Battaglia entered and calmly retired the first batter he faced while stranding a pair in scoring position.

That would be the last major threat of the day for LIU Brooklyn as Battaglia set the side down in order in the seventh before working around a leadoff single in the eighth. The Staten Island native then closed out the victory with a perfect ninth.

Gordon, Lynn and Mascelli joined Dini with multiple hits for the Green & White.

Casey (1-4) earned the win, striking out two and yielding just two unearned runs on three hits over 5.2 innings.

The Blackbirds were limited to just four hits and were led by Pete Leonello, who went 2-for-4. RHP Nick Freijomil (0-4) was saddled with the loss, yielding six runs on 10 hits over 6.0 innings of work.

The teams will continue their series tomorrow with a 1:00 pm doubleheader.

Follow Wagner Athletics on Twitter (@WagnerAthletics) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department, @WagBaseball for news and updates on the baseball program.