April 3, 2003
Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to notch a 7-6 win at Wagner on Thursday in non-conference baseball action. Adam Rosenberg drove in the game-winning run with sac fly in the sixth inning, and the Lafayette pitching staff closed the door on the Wagner offense over the final four innings.
Adam Bucci gave the Leopards an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run to lead off the second inning. Bucci's shot to deep rightfield was his third home run of the season.
Wagner scored three runs in the bottom of the second. Zach Fazio plated the first run with an RBI-single. Bryan Distefano kept the rally going with a two-run double that gave Wagner a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Lafayette benefited from two Wagner errors that put Russ Giglio and Eric Vacca on base. Freshman catcher Matt Skellan moved them over with a sacrifice bunt to leave runners on second and third. Rob Fioretti then plated Giglio with a fielder's choice. Rosenberg (2-for-3, 2 RBI) cracked a single to center that scored Vacca who eluded the Wagner catcher's tag at home. Jason Boyd then doubled off the rightfield wall to score Rosenberg for the go-ahead run that put Lafayette up 4-3.
Wagner answered back with three runs in the bottom of the inning off Lafayette reliever Tom Soldan who had replaced starter Matt Tambellini (3R, 6H, 1BB, 2K) in the beginning of the inning. The Lafayette defense aided the Seahawks' rally with two miscues that helped give Wagner a 6-4 lead.
The Leopards hit back for three runs in the top of the sixth. Bucci led off the inning by striking out, but reached base on a wild pitch. Wagner starter Mike Sperduto gave up singles to the next two batters, Sean Lesser and Russ Giglio (2-for-4), to load the bases. Wagner then pulled Sperduto in favor of Mike D'Angelis.
Vacca and Fioretti each drew bases-loaded walks from D'Angelis to drive in runs and tie the game, 6-6. With one out and the bases still loaded, Rosenberg drove a ball to right that was deep enough to score Giglio from third. The inning ended on the same play when Fioretti strayed too far from first on Rosenberg's fly out and was cut down 9-4-3.
Soldan threw scoreless sixth and seventh innings before giving way to Hank Fichtner for the eighth. Paul Fischetti came on in the ninth inning to attempt to close out the game. He gave up two singles through the left side to put runners on first and second with no outs. He struck the next batter out, induced a pop up and got the final out of the game on a ground ball. Fischetti got the save, his first of the season.
Soldan (1-0) earned the first win of his collegiate career, throwing three innings while giving up three runs on three hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Sperduto took the loss for Wagner, giving up seven runs (four earned) on seven hits over five innings.
Lafayette returns to action this weekend when the Leopards host a Patriot League doubleheader against Holy Cross. The first pitch for Saturday and Sunday is scheduled for noon at Metzgar Field.
