THROGGS NECK, NY – One day after the Maritime College baseball team's
Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, NY) and
Brandon Stanley (Swedesboro, NY) earned complete-game victories over Baruch, it was
Matthew Demme's (Carmel, NY) turn on Sunday. Not to be outdone, Demme tossed a five-hit shutout, as the Privateers (9-6) topped Lehman (0-7) by a 5-0 count. Maritime then completed the doubleheader sweep with an 8-1 triumph in game two.
After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the first in game one, the Privateers struck for two runs in the second.
Chris Felder (Wallingford, PA),
Vasilios Vafakos (Astoria, NY) and
Anthony Madigan (Greenlawn, NY) all singled to load the bases with one out, and Felder scored the first run of the game when
Nick Pinggera (Kings Park, NY) beat the throw to first on what would've been an inning-ending double play ground ball.
Freddy Forgione (Ronkonkoma, NY) was next, and he laced an RBI single to left.
Christian Ark (Rocky Point, NY) reached on an error to start the bottom of the third before scoring on
Jaden Shea's (Severn, MD) triple to deep center. The Privateers added two more in the fourth. Madigan and Pinggera started the inning with back-to-back doubles, and Maritime picked up another run on Ark's RBI single.
That was more offense than Demme needed. The only hit he allowed was a leadoff single by Ranssel Pinedo in the second. Demme (2-1) struck out six and issued just one walk (to Pinedo with two out in the seventh) in his second career one-hit shutout (the first came almost exactly a year ago in a 13-0 victory over Baruch on March 20, 2022).
Madigan and Forgione both had a pair of hits in the game. Madigan also scored a run, while Forgione knocked one in.
Lehman starter Chris Delgado (0-2) lasted 3.2 innings on the mound. He yielded five runs (four earned) on eight hits, struck out four and walked four. Tran Hennessy tossed the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and notching three strikeouts while not issuing a walk.
In game two,
Andrew Heiderstadt (Farmingdale, NY) got out of a first and third with one out jam in the top of the second by striking out the next two hitters. The Privateers then scored the game's first run in the bottom half of the inning. Ark led off with a double down the left field line and Shea followed with a bunt single. The throw sailed into right field, allowing Ark to come across.
Maritime plated another run on
Rob Copozzi's (Center Moriches, NY) RBI single in the third before Lehman cut its deficit to 2-1 in the top of the fourth. The Privateers responded with a run their half of the inning, though, as Pinggera singled home Vafakos.
Matt Milone (Farmingville, NY) then broke it open in the fifth with a grand slam off the scoreboard in right center field before Shea's RBI single in the sixth made it 8-1.
Shea went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, while Copozzi finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and two stolen bases. Milone's grand slam was his team-leading third home run of the season (all of which have come with multiple men on base). Vafakos, meanwhile, scored twice. Heiderstadt (1-1) picked up his first collegiate win after holding Lehman to one run on five hits over five-plus innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Jack Kellner (Seaford, NY) allowed just one hit and recorded three strikeouts in two innings of work.
Jeremmy Santos was 2-for-3 for Lehman, and Elias Femin drove in the Lightning's only run. Starting pitcher Richard Illa Costa (0-2) lasted four innings. He yielded three runs on five hits, struck out two and walked three. In addition to going 1-for-3 at the plate, Ranssel Pinedo pitched two innings for the Lightning. He was charged with five runs (four earned) and three hits to go along with three strikeouts and two walks.
The Privateers, who've won a season-high four straight, are now 7-1 at Reinhart Baseball Field this season. Maritime hosts SUNY Poly (4-7) for a doubleheader at 12 p.m. on Saturday.
