THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Baseball team led by 2016 Skyline Conference Coach of the Year Charlie Barbieri will be heading back to the Skyline Conference Championship following an exceptional record-setting season for the Privateers, who will look to secure a berth in the NCAA Championship for the first time.
 
Clinching a first round bye, Maritime will enter the six-team tournament as the second seed, the highest seed clinched by the program in modern history. With the sixth seeded Merchant Marine Mariners upsetting the Farmingdale Rams on their home turf Wednesday evening, the Privateers will square off against the Mariners in their first game of a double-elimination bracket on Saturday, May 6th with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.

Earlier this season, the Privateers swept Merchant Marine on the road, taking down the Mariners 13-2 in game one and 6-5 in game two. Merchant Marine went on to finish the conference schedule at an even 9-9 and finished with an overall mark of 14-17.
 
The Privateers had an outstanding 2017 season, surpassing last year's overall and conference win totals. Maritime currently has all-time highs in batting average (.327), slugging percentage (.489), on base percentage (.413), runs scored (265), hits (355), home runs (35), RBIs (236), total bases (529), and is one double away from tying the doubles record (56).
 
For the Privateer pitching staff, the unit has set program marks in most pitching victories (23), fewest losses (11), most saves (5), is second in strikeouts (232), and second in complete games (8).
 
Heading into the postseason, Maritime also finds themselves nationally ranked as the squad is tied for 10th in home runs per game with 1.03, tied for 11th in total home runs, 13th in slugging percentage, 24th in batting average, 28th in on base percentage, 30th in shutouts, and 36th in runs scored per game (7.8).
  
Scouting the Privateers
Through their 34 games this season, Maritime has outscored its opponents 265-190 overall and 142-81 in Skyline Conference play, both the largest run differentials in recorded history.

Maritime was led by senior Brian McLaughlin (Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), who has put together one of the most remarkable seasons in Privateer history. The Massapequa-native leads the Privateers in nearly every offensive category, hitting a team-leading .474, also good for fifth throughout all of NCAA Division III. He has completely rewritten the Maritime single-season RBI record with 55 and has also set new single season program records in home runs (8) and total bases (95). McLaughlin also stands in first place in the Skyline Conference in doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and slugging and is second in hits.  

Juniors Stephen Semler (Kirkland, Wash./Lake Washington) and Chris Deddo (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) have also put together another impressive campaigns for the Privateers as Semler is hitting .394 overall and .407 in conference games with six doubles, six home runs and a team-leading three triples. On the season, Semler has knocked in 35 RBIs while also scoring 35 runs. Deddo has also been a key leader in the lineup as the junior has crossed the plate 41 times this season which is a single-season record and first in the Skyline Conference. The second basemen also has six home runs on the season and rounds out the top three on the team in RBIs with 31. In the batter's box, Deddo has also drawn a team-high 21 walks.  
 
Sophomore Matt Costleigh (West Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony's) is also hitting .373 out of the leadoff spot with 39 runs scored and 41 hits with nine doubles, two triples, and three home runs. He has drove in 19 runs on the season and also has provided speed on the base paths with 14 stolen bases out of 17 attempts. Junior outfielder Connor Alwan (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) has added depth to the lineup, hitting .360 with 20 RBIs while also scoring 19 runs of his own with five doubles, a triple and two home runs. Freshman Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) has also put together a nice rookie season for the Privateers with 38 hits and 16 RBIs.
 
Freshman Antonio Diaz (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) has helped the Privateers with 16 hits and 14 RBIs and 15 runs scored on the season, while junior catcher Aaron Schiavoni (Sag Harbor, N.Y./Pierson) has 26 hits and 22 RBIs on the year to go along with three home runs. Sophomore Joe Scerra (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea), senior Chris Stewart (Bethpage, N.Y./Chaminade), and junior Zach Parilla (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) have all seen time in the lineup and have combined for 27 hits and 15 RBI's.
 
On the hill freshman Travis Bruinsma (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) burst onto the scene as a rookie, making eight starts and earning a Maritime record-breaking seven wins with four complete games. Within the conference, the three-time Skyline Rookie of the Week selection has tossed victories against Old Westbury, Merchant Marine, St. Joseph's (Bklyn) and Farmingdale. On the year, Bruinsma has pitched a team-high 52 1/3 innings with a 3.78 ERA and 37 strikeouts while holding his opponents to a .272 batting average.
 
Junior Anthony D'Ancona (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) has split time on the mound as both a starter and reliever and is just behind Bruinsma in ERA with a 4.94. In 41 1/3 innings pitched, D'Ancona has also fanned 37 batters with opponents hitting .251 against him. A.J. Ammirati (Queens, N.Y./Construction) has also made seven starts for the Privateers and has pitched through 31.1 innings, sitting down 27 batters and surrendering only nine walks. Also making an impact in his freshman season is Matthew Paghidas (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) who has fired five wins for the Privateers. Paghidas has seen 28 innings as part of the battery and has struck out 22 batters and only allowed 11 walks in 112 batters faced.
 
Freshman Skylar Graff (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) has made 11 appearances in relief for Maritime earning one win and a team-high two saves. In 14 innings of work, the rookie has surrendered only four runs while striking out 15 while also piecing together a 2.57 ERA. Classmate Brady Dolan (York, Pa./Northeastern) has also seen valuable time for Maritime, tossing 18 1/3 innings for a 3.44 ERA and 30 strikeouts.

Scouting the #1 St. Joseph's (LI) Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles finished the regular season with a 24-12 overall record and won the regular season title with a 15-3 league mark. The balanced attack from the Golden Eagles was spearheaded by a pair of senior pitchers as Brandon Lubrano (6-4; 1.44 ERA) and Josh Outsen (7-0; 1.47 ERA) were amongst the conference leaders in most pitching statistical categories.
 
Offensively St. Joseph's (LI) was led by junior first baseman Lou Doria with 37 RBIs, and seven home runs, and was third on the team with 35 hits. Senior Dylan Piscitelli was second on the team with 21 RBIs, while senior Anthony Bonilla and sophomore Paul Britt each had 19 RBIs, Britt also led the team with 34 runs scored to lead the Golden Eagles.
 
Scouting the #5 Mount St. Mary Knights
After opening the conference schedule with two losses to Maritime, Mount St. Mary closed out the conference slate at 9-9 with a 12-26 overall record. On Wednesday, the fifth seeded Knights knocked off the fourth seeded Old Westbury Panthers behind wins leader Blake Keenan (3-4; 6.09 ERA). Also picking up major innings for the Knights were Christopher Ruggiero (2-4; 4.87 ERA), and Jake Stewart (1-7; 6.04 ERA).
 
Kevin Edgar led the team in hitting with a .348 batting average and also had 11 RBIs on the year. The big bat in the middle of the Mount St. Mary lineup has been Christopher Introcaso, who led the team with four home runs and 22 RBIs while also scoring 20 runs. Nick Risso led the team with 32 runs and also drove in 13, while John Santana and Peter Knights also drove in double-digits and scored a combined 38 runs.
 
Scouting the #6 Merchant Marine Mariners
Merchant Marine wrapped up the 2017 season with a 14-17 overall mark and a 9-9 conference record in their first season back in the conference. The Mariners finished in the sixth position in the standings and knocked off the third-seeded Farmingdale Rams on Wednesday to advance into the double-elimination portion of the tournament.

Senior Nathan Slusarcyk (4-4; 3.42 ERA) along with junior Justus Martin (3-3; 2.44 ERA), and sophomore Andrew Spinnenweber (3-4; 3.10 ERA) led the Mariner pitching staff as the trio all amassed at least 45 innings in 2017. Offensively the team was led by a pair of players as junior Michael Barnes led the team in runs scored with 30 and was tied with freshman Wyatt Wilson for the team lead with 20 RBIs apiece. Senior Matthew Thomson and sophomore Jesse Reinebold added depth to the scrappy Merchant Marine lineup.

Fan Information
An admission fee is not required to attend the Skyline Conference postseason games. All games will be played at Gregg Alfano Field located one mile east of the St. Joseph's (LI) campus on the Sunrise Highway South Service Road.  
 
For fans that will not be able to make it to Alfano Field, live stats and video will be available at MaritimeAthletics.com.