THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College baseball team extended its winning streak to five with a 3-0 victory over St. Joseph's Brooklyn in game one of a doubleheader at Reinhart Baseball Field on Saturday. The Privateers (13-5, 5-1 Skyline) dropped game two, however, falling to the Bears (3-11, 1-3 Skyline) by a 4-2 margin.
Maritime struck early in game one, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. After
Freddy Forgione (Ronkonkoma, NY) and
Austen Bishop (Millersville, MD) both walked with two out,
Jake Bernardi (Bronx, NY) sent a single up the middle that drove in the contest's first run. Another run came across when
Ryan Rockhill (Eastchester, NY) reached on an error.
Forgione and Rockhill were at the heart of another Maritime rally in the third. Forgione started the inning with a single to right, then moved to second on an errant throw when the Bears tried to pick him off first. After he took third on a wild pitch, Rockhill sent a grounder deep to the hole at shortstop that he beat out for an RBI single that increased the Privateers' lead to 3-0.
That was more than enough offense for
Niko Concha (Ballston Spa, NY), who didn't allow a hit until the fifth. Even that play resulted in an out, though when the preceding runner was gunned down trying to advance to third. He also gave up a leadoff single in the sixth...only to get a double play ground ball from the next hitter. Concha (4-0) would go six shutout innings, striking out three and walking three.
Eric Wenig (Simi Valley, CA) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to earn Maritime's first save of the season. He recorded one strikeout.
Six different Privateers had singles in the contest. Forgione scored twice, while Bernardi and Rockhill each tallied RBIs.
St. Joseph's Brooklyn starter Mike Santoriello (1-3) lasted 5.1 innings on the mound. He allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits, struck out for and walked three. Sean Henris tossed the final 0.2 innings, notching one walk and one strikeout.
In game two, it was the Bears who got on the board in the first inning. Lucas Collet doubled to lead off the game before scoring on Chris Leary's two-out single down the left field line.
It would remain that way until the fourth, when
Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, NY) and Forgione started the inning with back-to-back doubles. Forgione then moved to third on
Logan Martinson's (Sumner, WA) single to left.
Jaden Shea (Severn, MD) was up next, and his squeeze bunt to third base was perfect, allowing Forgione to score and giving the Privateers a 2-1 lead.
However, the Bears went back in front with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth. St. Joseph's Brooklyn then added an insurance tally on Anthony Hernandez's solo home run in the top of the ninth. Maritime got a two-out single from Shea in the bottom of the ninth before
Adam Mosca (Massapequa Park, NY) flied to left for the final out. The 4-2 loss was the Privateers' first this season at Reinhart Baseball Field.
Matthew Demme (Carmel, NY) (3-2) started on the mound and took the loss. He yielded three runs (one earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk in 5.2 innings.
Nicholas Capone (Deer Park, NY) tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, surrendering two hits and striking out one.
Haydn Strycharz (Pittstown, NJ) pitched the ninth, giving up the home run while also recording a strikeout.
Offensively, Maritime collected eight hits in game two. Forgione finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and an RBI. Zurita was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Shea went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
For the Bears, Abner Victor ended up 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI and Chris Leary was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Overall, St. Joseph's Brooklyn had 10 hits in the contest. Starting pitcher Andrew Monda (2-2) earned the win after yielding two runs on six hits over seven innings. He struck out three and walked one. Justin Conaty pitched the final two innings and was credited with the save. He allowed two hits and recorded three strikeouts.
On Sunday, the Privateers visit Manhattanville (8-9, 5-3 Skyline) for a 12 p.m. twinbill.
