Thibodaux, LA - The Wagner baseball team earned its first victory of the 2017 season, defeating the Grambling State Tigers, 19-3, on day two of the Mardi Gras Invitational: Beads and Baseball on the Bayou presented by Bayou Lafourche Area and Visitors Bureau, hosted by Nicholls State University.

The Seahawks (1-1) got five shutout innings from senior co-captain Danny Marsh (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township), who struck out five batters, walked one and gave up just three hits. The five punchouts on the afternoon for Marsh nearly tied his career-best, set back on April 17, 2014, in which he fanned six Saint Peter's batters. Sophomore reliever Douglas Molnar (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) came on in relief, tossing the final four innings, giving up four hits, three runs while striking out three and walking two batters. 

At the dish, 11 of the 13 Green & White batters recorded a hit against the Tigers, led by junior RF Kyle Cala (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial), who went 3-for-5 with four runs scored. Fellow junior SS Sean Mazzio (West Chester, PA/Salesianum School [DE]) had one of the biggest hits of the day, connecting on a seventh-inning grand slam for his first round tripper of the year, and his second career home run.

After a scoreless first inning, the Seahawks got the scoring going in the bottom of the second. Cala singled to right field and found himself in scoring position after stealing second. After senior 1B Brad Currao (Howell, NJ/St. Rose) reached first on an error, junior backstop Brendan Benecke (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) laced a double down the left field line, scoring Cala for the first run of the game. Currao trotted in the second tally after Grambling's starter, Issac O'Bear, was called for a balk. Wagner went up 3-0 after sophomore CF Joe Silvestrone (Manalapan, NJ/Freehold Township) continued his hot start to the season with his second RBI of the year, singling through the left side of the infield, bringing Benecke in from third. 

After recording a strikeout in each of the first two innings, Marsh started the third by retiring Chris Perez looking at strike three. Grambling got its first hit when Nick Wheeler tripled to right center. The Seahawk co-captain regained his composure and proceeded to record another strikeout, this time getting Kristian Franklin swinging. Ace Felder grounded out to second to end the frame.

Wagner added a run in the bottom of the third as junior LF Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) lofted a sacrifice fly to left, which brought in sophomore DH Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem), giving the Seahawks a 4-0 lead. The Seahawks scored four times over the fourth and fifth innning, giving them an 8-0 lead. In the bottom half of the fourth, Capra drove in two with a double down the right field line and in the Seahawks' fifth, Currao recorded his first collegiate RBI on a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Cala.  Freshman 3B Nick D'Amore (Philadelphia, PA/Neumann-Goretti) ripped a single to left, which moved Godino to third before coming in to score on an error by the Tigers' leftfielder. 

Grambling scored its only runs of the contest in the top of the sixth. Johan Mojica singled through the left side which scored Marshawn Taylor. Rafael Ramirez III reached on a fielding error by the Seahawks' leftfield, allowing Daniel Barnett to cross the plate. Perez brought in the final run for Grambling as he sent a sac-fly to left, scoring Mojica, thus cutting the Wagner lead to 8-3. 

The Seahawks put the game away in the seventh and eighth, erupting for 11 runs on just five hits. D'Amore drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Cala to give Wagner 9-3 edge. With two-outs, Mazzio cleared the bases with his first career grand slam, increasing the Green & White's lead to 13-3. In the Wagner eighth, Currao singled to center, scoring junior Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South). Sophomore pinch-hitter Will Johnson (Toms River, NJ/Toms River High School East) delivered in his lone at-bat, clearing the bases with a three-run double. Freshman Freddy Sabido (Staten Island, NY/Susan E. Wagner [Saint Louis]) was inserted for Capra and delivered a RBI grounder back to the pitcher, scoring Sivestrone for the final run of the contest.

Wagner concludes the three-game tournament tomorrow afternoon against the host Nicholls State Colonels. First-pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. CST (4:00 p.m. EST). 

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