Diaz Becomes All-Time RBI Leader, Bears Swept by Maritime

THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – Senior Kevin Diaz (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) set a new Bears' record with his 84th career RBI as the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader against Maritime falling 11-1 in game one and 16-10 in the nightcap on Saturday afternoon at Reinhart Field.

Entering the afternoon tied with Jon Mendez for first all-time with 83 RBI, Diaz wasted no time in game two picking up an RBI single in the second inning to break the mark set by Mendez in 2011.

St. Joseph's (13-5) was swept for the first time this season and now has a season-high three-game losing streak while Maritime (7-14) has won two in a row after dropping their previous three ballgames.

In the opener, the Privateers struck first scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and would not look back as they put up a five spot in the third, three runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth holding the Bears to one run in the third en route to the victory.

The nightcap was a slugfest with sloppy play in the field as the teams combined for 24 hits and 13 errors with the Bears committing nine of their own.  Both teams struck early with the score tied at 6-6 after three before Maritime put up a four spot in the fourth followed by six runs in the fifth to pull ahead 16-7 after five putting the game out of reach.

Sophomore Chris Cutrone (Levittown, NY/Island Trees HS), (3-3) picked up the loss in game one going four innings surrendering eight hits and seven earned runs with a strikeout.  Junior Donny Pagano (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's), (2-1) took the loss in the nightcap in relief pitching four innings allowing nine hits and ten runs (seven earned) while fanning four.

Joe Mendez (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) led the Bears at the plate going 2-for-6 including a three-run home run in game two finishing the day with a team-high four RBI and two runs scored. Mike Cundari (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) went 3-for-6 scoring two runs with two RBI.

TURNING POINT – GAME 1

The Privateers led off the bottom half of the third with a single up the middle before Cutrone retired the next two batters on flyouts. Maritime subsequently drew two consecutive walks to load the bases before they received an RBI single giving them a 3-1 lead. The Privateers would tack on four more runs helped by a walk, 2-RBI single and a double with all the runs coming with two outs to give them a commanding 7-1 lead they would not relinquish as the Bears only recorded three hits for the remainder of the game.

TURNING POINT – GAME 2

With the scored tied at 6-6 after three innings of play Maritime held St. Joseph's scoreless in the top half of the fourth before sending eight batters to the plate with four runs scoring on a bases-clearing double with the batter coming around to score on the play due to an error by the Bears.  The Privateers would take a 10-6 lead after the play and tacked on six insurance runs in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach at 16-7 after St. Joseph's had scored a run in the top of the fifth.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Bears committed 12 errors in the doubleheader with 13 of the Privateers 27 runs coming unearned. The Bears nine miscues in game two matched a record set three times, last vs. Mount Saint Mary in 2009.
• The Privateers had 17 two-out RBI between the two games.
• Eight different Bears recorded hits in game two. 

NEWS AND NOTES

• Thomas McKenna has now extended his hitting streak to a current team-leading ten games.
• Diaz has now reached base safely in 14 consecutive games.
• Bogdan Leyton made his first collegiate appearance out of the bullpen throwing a perfect inning in game two.
• The two teams split the four meetings this season with Maritime now leading the all-time series 11-3.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARS

The Bears return home for a matchup against SUNY Purchase on Wednesday, April 10th with first pitch slated for 4 p.m.