THROGGS NECK, NY – On Wednesday night, the third-seeded Maritime College baseball team hosted sixth-seeded Manhattanville in the first round of the Skyline Conference Tournament.  Despite a solid eight-inning pitching performance by Brandon Stanley (Trinity, FL), the Privateers (26-13) suffered a 3-2 loss to the Valiants (20-19) at Reinhart Baseball Field.

After Manhattanville put an unearned run on the board in the top of the second, Maritime scored twice in the fourth to go in front.  Alex Bardi (Wantagh, NY) drew a one-out walk and Michael Frazzetta (Howard Beach, NY) followed with a double.  Logan Martinson (Sumner, WA) was up next, and he dunked a bloop single to shallow center that tied the game.  The Privateers' third successive hit, a Rob Copozzi (Center Moriches, NY) single, drove in Frazzetta and gave Maritime a 2-1 lead.

Manhattanville evened the score with a run in the top of the fifth, then Chris Goohs made it a 3-2 game when he homered leading off the seventh.  In the bottom of the seventh, Jaden Shea (Severn, MD) was hit by a pitch before Anthony Madigan (Greenlawn, NY) sent a grounder towards second.  Shea was initially called safe on the play, but, after conferring, the umpires ruled that he had been tagged for a double play.  He would prove to be Maritime's final baserunner, as Ryan McCann retired the side in order in both the eighth and ninth to end the Privateers' season and move the Valiants into the double-elimination portion of the tournament.

Stanley (8-2) took a tough-luck loss after holding Manhattanville to three runs (two earned) on six hits.  He threw 123 pitches, 90 of which were strikes, and the only walk he issued was to the first batter of the game.  Stanley struck out eight.  William Chu (Port Washington, NY) recorded one strikeout during a 1-2-3 ninth.

Ray White made the start for the Valiants and lasted 3.2 innings.  He allowed two runs on three hits, struck out two and walked three.  After Joseph Lacoparra got the final out of the fourth, Gregory Esposito (4-1) pitched two shutout innings and was credited with the win.  He gave up one hit and notched three strikeouts.  McCann went the final three innings to pick up the save.

This marked Maritime's 12^th consecutive Skyline Tournament appearance, as well as the Privateers' first postseason home game since 2019.  The Privateers have posted at least 22 wins in their last seven full seasons (not counting 2020 and 2021).