Baseball Avoids Sweep With 8-4 Victory Over Wagner

(boxscore)

5/14/06 -- After falling behind early, Long Island used a pair of three-run outbursts to propel it to an 8-4 victory over Wagner in Northeast Conference baseball action on Sunday afternoon.

Freshman Anthony Amatucci (Toms River, N.J.) went 2-for-3 from the plate with a double and two RBI. Senior Matt Martino (Staten Island, N.Y.) also had two hits for the Blackbirds.

After a sacrifice fly by junior Orlando Cruz (White Plains, N.Y.) that scored sophomore Dan Pirillo (Marlboro, N.Y.) gave the Blackbirds an early advantage in the first inning, Wagner came back with three runs in the third. A throwing error by LIU starting pitcher Mike Maynard (Staten Island, N.Y.) with two outs extended the inning and the Seahawks took advantage. The next batter up, center fielder Nick Papa, hit a three-run home run to give Wagner a 3-1 lead.

The Seahawks would then load the bases after the homer but Maynard was able to get a fly out to left field to end the inning and extinguish the potential rally.

LIU scraped home a run in the fifth frame. Sophomore Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) opened the inning with an opposite field single. Amatucci was then hit by a pitch and a sacrifice bunt by junior Marcus Wynn (Plainfield, N.J.) advanced the runners and put two men in scoring position. An RBI groundout by Pirillo scored Burke to cut the deficit in half.

Three runs in the sixth gave the Blackbirds the lead for good. A hit by pitch to junior Robbie Rowen (Rosendale, N.Y.), a single by Martino and walk to sophomore Danny Etkin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) loaded the bases with one out. After a groundout by Burke tied the game at 3-3, Amatucci followed with a two-out, two-run double to make the score 5-3.

Papa again did damage in the seventh for Wagner, connecting on a one-out triple to right center field. He would score on a groundout to third but it would be the last run the Seahawks would score.

Two Blackbird home runs gave the squad some breathing room in the ninth. Wynn belted his second home run in as many days - a solo shot - to push LIU’s lead to 6-4. Following a single by senior Sean Durkin (Damascus, Md.), junior James Adamo (Paramus, N.J.) hit a pinch hit two-run homer to right to account for the Blackbirds final two runs.

Junior John Dooley (Deer Park, N.Y.) went two scoreless innings to pick up his first save of the season, preserving Maynard’s victory. Maynard earned his fourth victory of the year, striking out five while allowing only one earned run.

Papa finished with three of Wagner’s four runs batted in and also scored two runs. Freshman hurler Andrew Heubner fell to 1-5 on the season.

LIU travels to Hartford on Wednesday, May 17 for a non-conference match up set for 3:00 p.m.