The Maritime College baseball team dropped their first game of the 2021 Skyline Playoffs to the host United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) by a score of 9-2, but they bounced back in the double elimination tournament with a massive and dramatic 3-2 win over St. Joseph's Long Island to extend their hopes of hoisting the championship trophy.

Against the Golden Eagles, Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, NY/Chaminade) got the start on the mound and got off to a good start, but it was St. Joseph's who struck first in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of runs. However, Sullivan was able to limit the damage at two runs and keep the Privateers within striking distance.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Maritime found themselves in trouble again with the bases loaded and two outs, but head coach Charlie Barbieri turned to the bullpen and Matthew Paghidas (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) to keep the game within reach. Paghidas did just that by forcing a ground out to the shortstop and the Privateers stayed in the game.

Although Maritime continued to struggle to get on the scoreboard, Paghidas and the defense held strong until the top of the seventh inning when the offense was finally able to break through. Jonathan Raccanello got the rally started with a one-out triple, and then a single from Xavier Cruz (Franklin Square, NY/Kellenberg ) allowed him to score and bring the score to 2-1. Adam Mosca (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa) kept the inning going with a single through the left side, and then Jake Bernardi (Morris Park, NY/Fordham Prep) came up to the plate for the first time in the game and drove in Cruz with a single down the left field line and the Privateers tied the score at 2-2.

Following two more strong innings from Paghidas and the Maritime defense, the playoff game entered the ninth inning with a tie score. Mosca was the first batter to reach base with a one-out single, then a hit-and-run allowed him to get to third base on a big single from Joe Cordero (Franklin Square, NY/Kellenberg). Barbieri continued to use aggressive base running tactics as Jaden Shea (Severn, MD/Archbishop Spalding) stepped up to the plate and executed a perfect suicide squeeze with a bunt down the first base line that allowed the winning run to cross home plate. In the bottom of the ninth, Paghidas retired the first two batters with a groundout and strikeout, respectively, before allowing a bloop single into the outfield. Determined not to let a rally get going, he forced another ground out on the next batter and Maritime stayed alive in the Skyline Playoffs.

Sullivan threw 3.2 innings with one earned run, while Paghidas got the win with 5.1 innings in relief with four hits and no runs allowed. Mosca and Cruz both went 2-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Cruz, Bernardi, and Shea all tallied one RBI.

The Privateers will now wait to play the loser of Old Westbury and USMMA at 4 p.m. tomorrow in Kings Point, with the winner advancing to the championship on Sunday at noon.