PATCHOGUE, NY – With the Maritime College baseball team trailing 5-4 with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Jaden Shea (Severn, MD) roped a two-run walk-off triple down the right field line to give the Privateers (2-0) a 6-5 victory over Plattsburgh (0-2) in game one of the season-opening doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.  Maritime then cruised to a 16-7 win in game two of the twinbill at St. Joseph's LI's Gregg Alfano Field.

Maritime trailed 5-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, but the first three batters of the inning—Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, NY), Freddy Forgione (Ronkonkoma, NY) and Austen Bishop (Millersville, MD), with Bishop's single plating Zurita.  The Privateers then cut their deficit to 5-4 when Ryan Rockhill (Eastchester, NY) reached on a fielder's choice.  After another fielder's choice and a pitching change, pinch hitter Nick Pinggera (Kings Park, NY) walked, bringing Shea to the plate with the tying and winning runs on base.  And he delivered, belting a line drive that was just out of the right fielder's reach.  Jonathan Racanello (New Rochelle, NY) scored easily on the play, while Pinggera just beat the throw home for the winning run.

The Privateers had taken a 2-0 lead on RBI doubles by Forgione in the first and Rockhill in the third.  Plattsburgh responded, however, with three in the fourth and two in the fifth to open up a 5-2 advantage.

Forgione went 4-for-4 with four doubles in the game.  He drove in a run and scored twice.  Zurita finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Shea's walk-off two-run triple was his second hit of the contest.  Of Maritime's 10 hits, seven went for extra bases, six doubles and the Shea triple.

Starting pitcher Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, NY) was excellent in three innings of work. He allowed just one base runner, who was later picked off.  Sullivan recorded five strikeouts.  Ryan Ragone (Yonkers, NY), John Ohanian (Bellmore, NY) and Gabe Zwerin (Oceanport, NJ) followed before Matthew Demme (Carmel, NY) (1-0) pitched the final two innings.  He struck out three and walked two while not giving up a hit to earn the win.

For Plattsburgh, Steve Messerschmitt went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Christian Lent was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.  Sean Malamud lasted six innings on the hill for the Cardinals, yielding two runs on six hits and a walk while picking up a strikeout.  After Lucas Rodriguez allowed three runs on three hits in 0.2 innings, losing pitcher Justin Osborn (0-1) gave up a walk and a triple to the only two batters he faced.

In game two, Maritime jumped out to a 9-0 lead after three innings.  The Privateers scored one in the first on a Bishop sacrifice fly before taking advantage of four walks and three Plattsburgh errors to score six unearned runs in the second.  The only hit of the inning was a two-run single by Jake Bernardi (Bronx, NY).  Maritime then added two more in the third on a Zurita sacrifice fly and a Bishop infield single.

After the Cardinals broke through for a run in the top of the fifth, the Privateers erupted for their second big inning of the game, putting up a seven-spot.  Six consecutive Maritime hitters reached base to start the inning—and all of them eventually came around to score.  Logan Martinson (Sumner, WA) then lifted an RBI double to right that capped the rally and made it 16-1.  Plattsburgh plated three in the sixth and three more in the seventh to trim the final margin to 16-7.

Eleven different Privateers had hits in game two, while 10 Maritime players scored a run and 10 were credited with an RBI.  Bernardi was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Forgione had another double (his fifth of the doubleheader) as one of his two hits.  He also scored a pair of runs and drove in another.  Adam Mosca (Massapequa Park, NY) crossed the plate three times, with Pinggera, Shea and Madigan adding two runs apiece.  Michael Frazzetta (Howard Beach, NY) picked up two RBIs on his pinch-hit single in the fifth.

Frank Santeramo (Garden City, NY) tossed three perfect innings on the mound, striking out four.  Niko Concha (Ballston Spa, NY) was credited with the win after striking out one in a perfect fourth.  Eric Wenig (Simi Valley, CA) retired the first batter he faced before a Messerschmitt double ended the bid for a combined perfecto.

Franceso Geraci went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI for the Cardinals.  Plattsburgh starting pitcher Andrew Veit (0-1) lasted just 1.2 innings.  He gave up seven runs, only one of which was earned, on one hit and seven walks while striking out two.  Kolby Mordecki and Chris Santic each followed him on the mound.  None of the pitchers was helped by the Plattsburgh defense, as the Cardinals committed four errors that led to nine unearned runs.

This twinbill was originally supposed to be played at the Reinhart Baseball Field, but was moved due to damage caused by Friday morning's ice storm.  The Privateers home opener will now wait until the team gets back from its Florida trip, which starts on Thursday with an 11:30 a.m. twinbill against Elizabethtown (1-2).