Maritime Comes From Behind to Top Baseball in Skyline Sweep

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team (9-7-1, 2-4 Skyline) hosted SUNY Maritime College (13-7, 4-0 Skyline) in their first games of the season at Calvert Vaux Park on Saturday, falling twice in a Skyline Conference doubleheader. The Privateers scored two in the top of the ninth in game one for a comeback triumph and blanked SJC in a one-sided game two to remain perfect in league play.

How It Happened (Game 1): Maritime 5, St. Joseph's 4
SJC Starters: Palermo (3B), Schwartz (DH), Reyes (CF), Ryan (C), DeLuca (RF), Langan (LF), Lombardi (1B), McLaughlin (SS), Gonzalez (2B); Bunnicelli (P)

Anthony Palermo (Patchogue, N.Y./Sachem North) doubled down the left field line to open the bottom of the first, was sacrifice bunted to third and then scored on a Kevin Reyes (Bronx, N.Y./AECI) RBI groundout as the Bears led 1-0 after one.

Maritime advanced their first runner of the game into scoring position in the top of the second but C.J. Bunnicelli (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) fanned a batter and induced a flyout to keep them scoreless.

Junior Joseph Langan (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) hit a leadoff single in the second and later scored after the catcher made a throwing error on a steal attempt to double the Bears lead (2-0) entering the third.

The Privateers answered in the top of inning three with four hits, highlighted by an RBI double from Phil Russo, as well as an SJC error for a pair of tallies to tie the score at two. The Bears regained the lead on a wild pitch in the fifth, but Maritime pushed one across in the eighth for another tie heading into the final frame.

Maritime loaded the bases in the top of the ninth and a fielder's choice and single plated two for a 5-3 advantage. Louis Lombardi (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) drove in William DeLuca (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) in the bottom half but the Bears' comeback bid came up short stranding the bases loaded.

How It Happened (Game 2): Maritime 10, St. Joseph's 0
SJC Starters: Schwartz (2B), Gonzalez (3B), Palermo (1B), Ryan (C), Reyes (LF), DeLuca (P), Langan (RF), McLaughlin (SS), Zinser (CF)

Maritime scored one in the top of the first on a Bear error and went on to open up the game in the second scoring seven runs on seven hits leaving just one runner one base. The Privateers batted around and racked up five-straight RBI in the inning to establish a commanding 8-0 lead early.

The visitors added another score in the fifth and 2018 All-Skyline First Team outfielder Travis Zurita picked up his second RBI of the game in the seventh for Maritime's 10th run as they picked up their fourth Skyline win of the young season.

The Privateers' freshman right-hander Niko Concha fired a one-hitter in the complete game shutout with three walks and nine strikeouts as the rookie moved to 3-0 on the season shutting down St. Joseph's lineup.

For the Bears

• Senior Adam Schwartz (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) was 2-for-4 with a triple in game one.
• DeLuca went 2-for-3 and scored a run in the first contest while Michael Gonzalez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) posted two hits (2-for-4) with a double.
• Bunnicelli had a strong start in game one going 7.2 innings giving up two earned runs on 11 hits while striking out four.
• Senior righty Matthew Rienzi (Maspeth, N.Y./Xavier) tossed two scoreless innings of relief in the second outing.
• Langan notched the Bears lone hit in the shutout.

Next Up for the Bears
They continue Skyline play with an away doubleheader at SUNY College at Old Westbury tomorrow (Mar. 31) beginning at noon with links to live stats and video at SJCBears.com.