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Staten Island, NY – Behind a sensational pitching performance from senior right-hander Max Schmardel (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional), and a 2-for-4, two-RBI day from sophomore shortstop Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ/Seton Hall Prep), the Wagner baseball team improved to 3-0 against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foes this season as the Seahawks knocked off Fairfield 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

With the win, the Green & White improve to 14-12-1 on the season and are now 14-4 over their last 18 games, while the Stags fall to 7-22 on the year and have dropped their last six decisions.

"Our offense worked hard and got us an early lead," said fourth-year head coach Jim Carone. "Max (Schmardel) was outstanding for the second straight start on the mound. Our pitching staff did not allow a walk today and our defense was exceptional."

The hard-throwing Schmardel picked up his first win of the year in his second start of the season as he stifled Fairfield over seven innings in which the towering 6-5 senior allowed six hits, one run, zero walks, while striking out a career-high eight batters. Schmardel retired the Stags in order in three of the seven innings he pitched.

Mascelli, the reigning Northeast Conference (NEC) Player of the Week, continued his hot hitting, as the Garden State native is batting .438 (14-for-32) with one  home run, 10 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .594 over his last eight games.

Senior CF Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area), who's hitting .542 (13-for-24) with three doubles and 16 total bases since taking over the leadoff spot, kicked off the first inning with a bunt single. After Nicosia stole second, Mascelli followed with an RBI single to right field for the game's first run. Later in the inning, senior 1B Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Neshanic Station, NJ/Somerville) sent a rocket down the left field line, plating Mascelli and giving Wagner a 2-0 lead after one.

Schmardel needed just 13 pitches to retire Fairfield in the top of the second before the Seahawks added three runs in the bottom of the frame take a 5-0 lead. After loading the bases behind back-to-back singles from freshman 3B Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School) and senior DH Dan Wasilick (Toms River, NJ/Toms River), Nicosia sent a deep, fly ball to right as Mazzio tagged up from third to score Wagner's third run of the game. Mascelli then punched a single through the left side for his second RBI of the gamem bringing in Wasilick to make it 4-0. The inning was capped off by junior RF Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ/West-Windsor Plainsboro South), who doubled to deep left center field, driving in sophomore C Jason Gordon (Baltimore, MD/Archbishop Curley).

From the mound, Schmardel continued his dominant performance as he kept the Stags off the board until the top of the seventh when Drew Blake doubled, scoring Dan Hopkins for Fairfield's first run of the contest. Junior Paul Mammino (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) was summoned for relief of Schmardel and the third-year lefty was able to work a scoreless top of the eighth, allowing just one hit while ending the frame by striking out Billy Zolga looking on four pitches. 

The Green & White tacked on another run in the bottom half of the eighth as Ruta scored on a passed ball. After giving up two hits and a run in the top of the ninth, senior closer Steven Bloodworth (Annandale, NJ/North Hunterdon) was able to get Sal Ciccone to ground out to second to end the game. In recording his fifth save of the season, Bloodworth notched his 11th career save, tying him for third on the Seahawk all-time list with teammate Anthony Battaglia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By The Sea).

Wagner will begin a four-game, non-conference series vs. the NJIT Highlanders in Newark, NJ on Friday in a single nine-inning affair at 6:00 p.m. On Saturday, April 18, the teams will play a doubleheader on the Staten Island side of the Goethals Bridge, with a pair of seven-inning contests at Richmond County Park. Game one on Saturday is slated for 1:00 p,m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a nine-inning tilt back in Newark at 1:00 pm.

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