THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College baseball team opened a five-game homestand with a non-conference matchup against FDU-Florham on Tuesday night. The Privateers (19-7) built a 13-6 lead on the strength of an eight-run second before holding off the Devils' (10-21) late rally to post a 13-12 victory at Reinhart Baseball Field.
After FDU-Florham took the lead on Matt Aber's home run in the top of the first, but Maritime immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning when
Anthony Madigan (Greenlawn, NY) doubled to left and
Freddy Forgione (Ronkonkoma, NY) followed with a two-run homer to left center. The Devils went back in front with a pair of runs in the top of the second before the Privateers put up an eight-spot. The first 10 Maritime batters to come to the plate in the inning reached base, with the first eight scoring.
Michael Frazzetta (Howard Beach, NY) started the rally with a two-run homer and added a sacrifice fly later in the inning. The Privateers then increased their advantage to 12-3 on
Alex Bardi's (Wantagh, NY) two-run homer in the third.
A pair of home runs in the top of the sixth brought the Devils within 12-6, then
Logan Martinson (Sumner, WA) doubled leading off the bottom half of the inning before coming across on
Rob Copozzi's (Center Moriches, NY) single. After putting two more on the board in the seventh, FDU-Florham rallied again in the top of the eighth. The Devils scored four times to cut their deficit to one, 13-12, and had the tying run on third with two out.
Joe Sorge (Montgomery, NY) ended the inning with a strikeout, however, preserving the Privateers' one-run cushion.
William Chu (Port Washington, NY) then came on to pitch the ninth and retired FDU-Florham in order to finish off the victory and earn his first collegiate save.
Maritime's usual closer,
Jack Kellner (Seaford, NY) made the start instead and went two innings on the mound. He allowed three runs on four hits, struck out three and walked two.
Gavin McIntyre (Princess Anne, MD) (1-0) was first out of the bullpen for the Privateers, and he was credited with the win after tossing two shutout innings. He gave up one hit and recorded two strikeouts.
Every batter in the Maritime lineup had at least one hit, as the Privateers tallied 18 as a team. Forgione finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Madigan was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Bardi and Frazzetta both ended up 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.
For the Devils, Jack Giovenco was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, and Aaron Santos went 3-for-5 with a double and a homer. He crossed the plate twice and drove in a pair of runs. Brody Donovan, meanwhile, finished 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Matt Aber added a two-run homer and a double for FDU-Florham.
Starting pitcher Christian Weippert (1-3) took the loss after yielding seven runs on six hits while also recording a strikeout in one inning of work. After Ben Cohen surrendered five runs on five hits and two walks over 1.1 innings, Colby Craig and Jake Stollar combined to hold the Privateers to one run over the final 5.2 innings.
This weekend, Maritime resumes its Skyline Conference schedule with a pair of crucial doubleheaders. The Privateers (8-2 Skyline) host Merchant Marine (17-9, 8-0 Skyline) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, then take on defending Skyline champion St. Joseph's LI (20-7, 10-0 Skyline) for the first time since the championship round of last season's Skyline Tournament at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
