Late Runs Lift Baseball To Split With Merchant Marine Academy

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Senior Mitch Brigando (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) went the distance to improve to 4-0 and classmate Nicholas LoPrinzi (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) delivered a two-run single in the seventh to lift the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team to a 3-1 victory over U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in the opener of their Skyline Conference twin bill. The Mariners jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in game two to earn a split of the afternoon with a 6-4 victory. 

Game Info

• Final Score: St. Joseph's 3, USMMA 1 (Game 1) USMMA 6, SJC 4 (Game 2)
• Location: Patchogue, N.Y.
• Field: Gregg Alfano Field
• Records: St. Joseph's (8-9, 7-3), USMMA (6-13, 4-6)

Game 1: St. Joseph's 3, USMMA 1

• SJC Starters: Linitz (CF) Pasetti (RF) LoPrinzi (C) Condon (1B) Rapp (SS) Kennedy (DH) Schwartz (3B) Rehn (2B) M. Camerada (LF) Brigando (P)
• After three scoreless innings with each team unable to build off solo hits in each half-inning, the Mariners broke through for a solo run in the fourth. USMMA loaded the bases with one out but was only able to come away with one on an Alex Gambino sacrifice fly.
• The Bears knocked seven hits over the first six innings, but couldn't bring anyone home until the seventh assembling a two-out rally. Michael Camerada legged out an infield single to start the rally—but left the game after being injured sprinting down the line—and Kevin Linitz and Connor Pasetti followed with singles to load the bases, setting the stage for Nicholas LoPrinzi who belted a single to center that scored the eventual game-winner.
• Falling behind for the first time in the game, the Mariners threatened in their ensuing at bat in the eighth loading the bases with no out. But Bears starter Mitch Brigando escaped the jam unscathed striking out the No. 5 batter and the Bears defense turned an inning-ending double play as a shallow fly to right was ruled an infield fly but fell and as the runner from third sprinted home was gunned out at the plate by Connor Pasetti.
• The Bears tacked an insurance run in the eighth on another two-out rally with Adam Schwartz roping a triple and scoring on a Luke Rehn single.
• Mitch Brigando finished off the complete-game win retiring the side in the ninth.  

Bears Highlights

• Mitch Brigando improved to 4-0 on the season and extended his program record to 18 victories. Finishing his third complete game of the season, he struck out six, worked around eight hits, and walked just one.
• Kevin Linitz had a perfect 4-for-4 day at the dish with a double and a run scored.
• Nicholas LoPrinzi finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double.
• Adam Schwartz went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and a stolen base.
• Michael Camerada rounded out four with multi-hit games going 2-for-3, extending his hitting streak to seven.
• Connor Pasetti knocked a single in the seventh to extend his reached base safely streak to a team-long 11 games.

Game 2: USMMA 6, St. Joseph's 4

• SJC Starters: Linitz (CF) Rehn (2B) LoPrinzi (1B) Condon (C) Rapp (SS) Schwartz (3B) Kennedy (DH) A. Camerada (RF) DeFillippo (LF) Pasetti (P)
• After a leadoff double by Matthew Thompson to open the game, the Mariners jumped on Bears starter Connor Pasetti for three runs—only one earned—and carried that lead to the finish. A leadoff triple by Jesse Rinebold in the fourth followed by a Kyle Cunningham sacrifice fly put the Bears at a 4-0 deficit.
• USMMA starter Andrew Spinnenweber retired the first 10 Bears and carried a one-hitter through five until the Bears posted three in the sixth to get on the board. Back-to-back leadoff doubles by Anthony Camerada and Anthony DeFillippo opened the scoring and singles by Nicholas LoPrinzi and Francis Rapp later in the frame cut the deficit to one.
• The Mariners got two much needed insurance runs in the seventh to move ahead 6-3 and the Bears could just muster one run in the home half of the inning after putting the first two batters on the bases.

Bears Highlights

• Nicholas LoPrinzi compiled a multi-hit effort in both ends of the doubleheader batting 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored.
• Anthony Camerada (2-for-3) also finished with a pair of hits, with a double, scoring once.
• Anthony DeFillippo (1-for-2) drove in a pair of runs and scored once.
• Connor Pasetti took his first loss of the season falling to 4-1 on the mound. Only two of his four runs came earned as he surrendered seven hits, walked two and struck out two.

Next Up for St. Joseph's

The Bears wrap up five games in three days facing Farmingdale State College in a Skyline Conference doubleheader on the road starting at noon. Live stats will be available on SJCBears.com