The Maritime College baseball team only allowed two runs in a doubleheader against John Jay on Sunday afternoon as they picked up a 6-2 and 3-0 win. The freshmen tandem of Ryan Ragone (Yonkers, NY/Stepinac) and Niko Concha (Ballston Spa, NY/Saratoga) picked up the starts in both games and combined for 12 innings pitched and two earned runs.

The Bloodhounds struck first in the opening game thanks to some strategic base running with runners on first and third. Both teams struggled to pick up hits after the opening frame and John Jay was able to add another run in the top of the fourth to make it a 2-0 lead. The Privateers were still hitless entering the top of the 5th, but with Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, N.Y./Chaminade) on second base, Joe Scerra (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) picked up a clutch single to advance him to third base. One batter later, Nick McTighe (Merrick, N.Y./Holy Trinity) hit a fly ball to right center which cause the center fielder to run into the right fielder and drop the ball, allowing Sullivan to score and close the gap.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Bloodhounds were threatening to score again with runners on first and second and two outs. John Jay appeared to keep the rally going with a single up the middle, but a great throw from Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, N.Y./Poly Prep) in centerfield gunned down the John Jay runner and the Privateers were able to keep the lead at 2-1. 

Maritime finally got the bats going in the bottom of the sixth as they tallied six hits and five runs to take control of the game. Zurita opened up the inning with a shot to left field, and after stealing third base, Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) drove him in with a single up the middle. A few batters later, Scerra added another big hit with a single through the left side that scored Russo and Eric Wenig (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley). Adam Mosca (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) capped off the big inning with a double to left field that scored two more runs as the Privateers took a 6-2 lead into the final inning. 

Skylar Graff (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) finished up the game on the mound with a 1, 2, 3 inning. Scerra led the offense going 2-3 at the plate with two RBIs and one run scored. Blaise Delise (Bellerose, NY/High School for Construction) earned the win after throwing a scoreless inning in the top of the sixth.

The second game got off to a shaky start for Maritime as the defense committed three errors in the top of the first inning, however, Concha remained calm and escaped the inning without allowing a run. In the bottom of the second inning, Angelo Brucceleri and Scerra were hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Two batters later, Ryan Rockhill (Eastchester, NY/Tuckahoe) singled to load the bases. Matt Eng (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) and Zurita then picked up back-to-back singles to score the first two runs of the game. Russo capped off the rally by hitting a sacrifice fly to center field and scoring Rockhill from third base.

Concha went on to close out the game for the Privateers by throwing a complete game and only allowing three hits. The former Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Week struck out 10 batters in the outing while only walking two.

The Privateers return to Reinhart Field tomorrow, Monday, March 25 for a Skyline Conference doubleheader against Mount Saint Mary beginning at 3:30 p.m. Check out the post game press conference with head coach Charlie Barbieri, Concha, and Ragone below!