THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College baseball team played under the lights at Reinhart Baseball Field for the first time this season on Wednesday night. In a game that was delayed a day due to weather conditions, the Privateers (19-8) posted a 13-4 victory over FDU-Florham (17-14) to earn a split in the season series with the Devils.
Tyler McCulloch hit a two-run homer for FDU-Florham in the top of the first, but
Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, NY) responded with a solo shot to right center in the bottom half of the inning. After the Devils made it 3-1 on Matt Nodoro's RBI double in the top of the second, the Privateers erupted for six third-inning runs.
FDU-Florham pitching issued four consecutive walks to start the inning, allowing one run to score.
Logan Martinson (Sumner, WA) was up next, and he just missed a grand slam, hitting the top of the wall in right center field. The ball caromed away from the center fielder for a bases-clearing triple that gave Maritime the lead.
Jake Bernardi (Bronx, NY) then knocked in Martinson with a bloop single to right.
After the Devils got one back in the fourth, the Privateers had another big inning in the bottom of the sixth.
Danny Green (Belle Harbor, NY) drew a leadoff walk and stole both second and third before scoring on
Ryan Rockhill's (Eastchester, NY) two-run homer to right center. It was Rockhill's first home run of the year.
Martinson followed with a single before
Austen Bishop (Millersville, MD) and Bernardi walked to load the bases.
Adam Mosca (Massapequa Park, NY) then deposited a double to the gap in left center, making it 10-4 Maritime. Bases loaded walks to Green and Zurita forced in two more runs, extending Maritime's lead to 12-4. The Privateers added another run in the seventh when Rockhill scored on a
Vasilios Vafakos (Astoria, NY) groundout.
Maritime pitching, meanwhile, completely shut down the FDU-Florham offense. The Devils left the bases loaded in the fourth, then put a pair of runners on after back-to-back walks to start the sixth. Tyrus Chippendale bunted the runners to second and third, which is exactly where they would stay, as
Nicholas Capone (Deer Park, NY) got a popup and a line drive to end the inning. He was the first of four Privateers hurlers who would retire the last 12 consecutive FDU-Florham hitters to come to the plate.
Offensively, Martinson led the way for the Privateers. He finished a home run short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs. Rockhill went 2-for-4 with a homer, three runs scored and three RBIs, while Zurita scored twice and knocked in a pair. Green walked four times in five plate appearaces, stole three bases, and crossed the plate twice.
Matthew Demme (Carmel, NY) tossed the first two innings, allowing three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Haydn Strycharz (Pittstown, NJ) (1-1) earned his first collegiate win after yielding one run on one hit over two innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Niko Concha (Ballston Spa, NY), Capone,
Jonathan Racanello (New Rochelle, NY),
Ryan Ragone (Yonkers, NY) and
James Paczkowski (Oceanside, NY) combined to pitch five innings of hitless relief.
Nodoro had three of the Devils' four hits, including a pair of doubles. He drove in two runs and scored one. McCulloch's two-run homer was the only other FDU-Florham hit. Starting pitcher Brody Donovan went two innings and was charged with one run on one hit. Daniel Sedutto (0-1) took the loss after seeing all three batters he faced come around to score. As a team, FDU-Florham issued 13 walks in the game.
On Saturday, Maritime welcomes St. Joseph's LI (13-8, 11-3 Skyline) to Reinhart Baseball Field for a 12 p.m. doubleheader. The Privateers (10-4 Skyline) are currently one game behind the first-place Golden Eagles in the Skyline Conference standings.
