April 18, 2008

Box Score

Teaneck, NJ - Fairleigh Dickinson parlayed five Wagner errors into 12 unearned runs in the Knights' 16-3 victory over the Seahawks in game one of a four-game set at FDU Field. FDU improves to 8-24 and 3-5 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) in snapping its seven-game losing streak against Wagner while the Green & White moves to 13-17 and 5-4 in the NEC.

The Knights jumped in front in the first, scoring three runs on two Seahawk errors.

Wagner cut the deficit to 3-1 in the fourth with a Damian Csakai (So., Freehold, NJ / Freehold) sacrifice fly that scored classmate Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA).

FDU got the run right back in the bottom of the inning when Jeff Vincent hit a sacrifice fly of his own.

The Knights broke the game open in the fifth with three runs while chasing Wagner starter LHP Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata). Junior RHP Kevin Rush (Metuchen, NJ / Metuchen) entered the game with runners on second-and-third and proceeded to quell the threat while keeping the score at 7-1.

With one out in the sixth, Avella cut into the lead with a mammoth home run to right center, his team-leading fifth of the year, to make it 7-2. Sophomore Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) then reached on an error. After advancing all the way to third on a passed ball and a ground out, McDonnell was brought him with a two-out single from Csakai.

Rush continued his solid pitching, holding the Knights scoreless in the sixth. Freshman Brian Martutartus (Carlsbard, CA /La Costa Canyon) singled with one out in the seventh as Wagner still had life. FDU shortstop Luis Rosario then halted the Wagner momentum, snaring a Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) grounder to pick up the force at second before FDU starter RHP Ben Green finished his seventh inning of work with a strikeout.

In the bottom of the frame, FDU blew the game open with nine unearned runs on six hits and two errors. Steven LaForge delivered the crushing blow with a bases clearing triple before Zach Sand hit a two-run home run, his second blast of the day.

Avella had another big day at the plate, going 3-4 with a home run, double and two runs scored. Csakai also had a hit and two RBI.

Sand went 3-5 with two home runs, four RBI and three runs to lead the FDU attack, which rapped out 14 hits.

Rice (4-2) yielded seven hits and seven runs, four earned, over 4.1 innings of work.

Green (3-3) struck out four and surrendered three runs, one earned, over 7.0 innings.

The two teams will resume their series with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 12 pm.