April 19, 2008

Box Score

Teaneck, NJ - After being held to just five runs over the first two games of the series, Wagner broke out the bats in a big way blasting a season-high five home runs on its way to an easy 13-4 win. Sophomore Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) continued his torrid hitting with a career-best two home runs and seven RBI while going 3-4 at the plate in securing a Wagner sweep on the day.

The Green & White out-hit the home team 15-8 as eight of nine regulars hit safely with six players recording multi-hit games.

Wagner is now 15-17 and 7-4 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while FDU is 8-26 and 3-7 in the NEC.

The Knights jumped out in front 1-0 in the bottom of the first with a two-out RBI single. From that point on, it was all Wagner.

The Green & White immediately answered in the top of the second with two runs. Freshman Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) crushed his first collegiate home run to left-center. One batter later, classmate Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) hit his third homer of the year, a solo shot to center field to make it 2-1 Wagner.

In the top of the fourth, the Seahawks blew the game wide-open with six runs while sending 10 batters to the plate. Boyd got things going with a single through the right side. After advancing to second on freshman Brian Martutartus' (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) sac bunt, sophomore Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) doubled home Boyd to make it 3-1. Junior Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) then laid down a bunt single up the third base side. Avella followed with first long ball of the day, a three-run home run to center field, making it 6-1. Sophomores Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms), Kevin Payne (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter's) and Lucas all followed with singles to push the lead out to 7-1. Payne concluded the scoring, reaching home on a throwing error to make it 8-1 good guys.

FDU got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI force play.

The Seahawks then went back to the long ball in the sixth as freshman Joe Jamison (West Caldwell, NJ / James Caldwell) got in the act with a solo home run down the left field line.

Avella capped the Wagner scoring with a grand slam to center field in the seventh.

The second-year slugger has now matched his freshman totals for home runs (7) and RBI (22) in just 32 games and is hitting a team-best .330. Avella has also raised his average 111 points over the past 14 games, hitting .479 (23-48) with four home runs, 14 RBI, five doubles and 12 runs during that time.

Sophomore RHP Kyle Morrison (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) struck out four and scattered two runs on six hits over 6.0 innings of work while improving to 3-2, including a perfect 3-0 in the NEC.

Nick Melchiorre (1-5) struck out five while yielding eight runs, seven earned, over 4.0 innings in taking the loss.

The two teams will wrap up their series with a single nine-inning game tomorrow starting at 1 pm at the FDU Field.