FARMINGDALE, NY – The Maritime College baseball team began its Skyline Conference schedule by sweeping a doubleheader at Farmingdale on Saturday.  The Privateers (10-4, 2-0 Skyline) won the opener by a 2-1 count, then erupted for 16 hits in game two, a 14-3 victory over the Rams (5-8, 0-2 Skyline) at Farmingdale Baseball Stadium.

After Maritime left the bases loaded in the top of the third in game one, Farmingdale scored the game's first run on Justin Lambert's RBI single in the bottom half of the inning.  The next batter was hit by a pitch, and the runners stole second and third.  However, Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, NY) induced a groundout to end the threat.

Logan Martinson (Sumner, WA) was hit by a pitch leading off the fifth.  He advanced to second on a bunt and moved to third on a groundout.  Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, NY) then drew a walk, putting runners on first and third with two down.  Freddy Forgione (Ronkonkoma, NY) was up next, and he delivered an infield single that knocked in Martinson with the tying run.  Austin Bishop (Millersville, MD) followed with a fly ball to left that went for an error, allowing Zurita to come across and give Maritime a 2-1 lead.

That was all the offense Sullivan needed.  He issued a one-out walk to Bobby Pollock in the bottom of the fifth, but the runner was retired on a double play.  Sullivan then set the Rams down in order in both the sixth and seventh to finish off the victory.

Sullivan (3-0) pitched his second consecutive complete game.  He allowed one run on four hits (three of which came in Farmingdale's run-scoring third inning), struck out three and walked one.  Nick Pinggera (Kings Park, NY) had two of the six Maritime hits in the contest.

Vincent Napolitano went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Rams.  Farmingdale starting pitcher Stephen Clancy (2-1) took the loss after yielding two runs (one earned) on five hits over 4.2 innings.  He struck out three and walked two.  Joe Marino held the Privateers to just one hit over 2.1 scoreless innings.  He recorded one strikeout.

Forgione hit a solo home run in the first inning of game two, then Zurita blasted a three-run shot in the second.  After a weather delay in the third, Maritime added three more runs in the top of the fourth.  Adam Mosca (Massapequa Park, NY) started the rally with a double down the left field line, and Anthony Madigan (Greenlawn, NY) followed with a walk.  Mosca scored on an error and Madigan came across on a wild pitch before Zurita lifted a sacrifice fly to center that made it 7-0.

Leading 8-1, Maritime broke the game open with a five-spot in the sixth.  After three consecutive singles to start the inning, Jake Bernardi (Bronx, NY) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left.  Ryan Rockhill (Eastchester, NY) singled to reload the bases before Jaden Shea (Severn, MD) ripped an RBI single.  Madigan brought home two on a single to center and Pinggera's RBI single, the Privateers' seventh hit of the inning, increased Maritime's lead to 13-1. 

Vasilios Vafakos (Astoria, NY) added a pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh. Farmingdale picked up one in their half of the inning, but William Giuliani (Levittown, NY) got a double play to finish off the 14-3 triumph.  Since the Privateers led by more than 10 runs, the game ended after seven innings.

Niko Concha (Ballston Spa, NY) (3-0) was the beneficiary of all that Maritime offense.  He went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts.  Giuliani surrendered one run on two hits in the seventh.

Offensively, Forgione and Zurita led the way.  Forgione was 3-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored, while Zurita finished 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and four RBIs.  Madigan reached base three times, going 1-for-1 with two walks.  He scored twice and drove in three.  Mosca, meanwhile, had two hits and two runs scored.

Doubles by Napolitano and Justin Morales were two of Farmingdale's seven hits.  Nick Neve scored a run and drove in another for the Rams.  Jordan Lambert (1-2) got the start on the mound and went 1.1 innings.  He was charged with three runs and three hits while striking out two and walking two.

On Sunday, the Privateers welcome Old Westbury (4-10, 2-2 Skyline) to Reinhart Baseball Field for a doubleheader. Game one gets underway at 12 p.m.