THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College baseball team began its Skyline Conference schedule with a doubleheader against Mount St. Vincent at Reinhart Baseball Field on Saturday.  The Privateers (5-8, 2-0 Skyline) used two big innings to notch a 16-8 victory in the opener, then completed the sweep of the Dolphins (1-10, 0-2 Skyline) with a 13-2 win in Game 2.

Despite playing on its home field, Maritime was the visiting team for the twinbill.  Game 1 was scoreless until the third, when the Privateers erupted for eight runs.  Randy Ventura (Syosset, NY) singled leading off the inning and scored the game's first run on Alex Bardi's (Wantagh, NY) RBI single.  Dylan Payano (Flushing, NY) then came across on a wild pitch before three Mount St. Vincent errors resulted in three more Maritime runs.  Payano ended the rally with a two-run single to center.

Bardi made it 9-0 with an RBI single in the fifth, then the Privateers put up a seven-spot in the top of the sixth.  Maritime sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning, with Owen Weber (Kings Park, NY) delivering a two-run single before Chris Picarella (Levittown, NY) knocked an RBI double and Harry Leipold (Thornwood, NY) followed with an RBI single that increased the lead to 16-0.  Mount St. Vincent cut its deficit to 16-3 in the bottom of the sixth, then pulled within 16-8 on Michael Akalski's three-run homer in the seventh.  Andrew Cavagnaro (Staten Island, NY) induced a groundout, though, to finish off the victory.

Joe Sorge (Montgomery, NY) (1-0) started on the mound and earned the win.  He lasted six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out six and walking two.  Offensively, the Privateers pounded out 17 hits, as every starter had at least one hit and scored at least one run.  Ventura finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Picarella was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.  Payano went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs.

Will Granata (0-4) took the loss for the Dolphins after allowing eight runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts over three innings.  He also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a homer, two runs scored and two RBIs.  Pablo Austin and Kyle Brindisi added two hits apiece, while John Anthony Spanoudakis crossed the plate twice and drove in a run.

In Game 2, Maritime scored in each of the first four innings.  Picarella roped an RBI double in the first before Guytano Kiesel (Bayport, NY) and Payano both homered in the second.  Payano's long ball was a two-run shot that made it 4-0.  The Privateers then extended their cushion to 11-0 with a seven-run third.  After a three-run double by Kiesel, Ventura and Joey Goodman (Merrick, NY) belted back-to-back home runs, Maritime's third and fourth of the contest.  Weber capped the rally with an RBI double.

Mount St. Vincent got one back on an RBI single by Spanoudakis in the bottom of the third.  David Granucci (Medford, NY) walked leading off the top of the fourth, and Kiesel followed with his second homer of the day, a two-run shot to left.  It would remain 13-1 until the bottom of the seventh, when Akalski belted a solo homer.  The next three Dolphins went down in order, bringing the contest to an early conclusion.

Kiesel had three extra-base hits, including the first two home runs of his collegiate career, and six RBIs.  Ventura was 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and two RBIs, while Goodman, Bardi and Picarella each finished with two hits.  Sean Mylan (Lynbrook, NY) (1-3) picked up the win after holding the Dolphins to one run on three hits over six innings.  He struck out 11 and walked three.  Joe Demos (South Hempstead, NY) pitched the seventh, allowing one run on one hit and notching a strikeout.

Three of Mount St. Vincent's four hits in the contest went for extra bases, with Stephen Marinez and Carter Niles recording doubles to go with Akalski's home run.  Starting pitcher Jake Bland (1-3) was charged with the loss after allowing eight runs (four earned) on seven hits in two innings.  He issued a pair of walks and tallied two strikeouts.

After playing eight straight at Reinhart Baseball Field, the Privateers hit the road on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. matchup with 29^th-ranked Montclair State (13-4).  The contest was originally scheduled for Feb. 25, but was postponed due to winter weather and unplayable field conditions.