Baseball Drops Two to USMMA Despite Hernandez's Five-Hit Day

KINGS POINT, N.Y. — Sophomore Anthony Hernandez (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) knocked five hits on the afternoon and the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) took an early lead in game one, but dropped both ends of their Skyline Conference doubleheader, 8-4 and 13-3, to the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday afternoon.

Game 1: USMMA 8, St. Joseph's 4

The Bears (3-13, 1-5) scored three quick runs in the first for an early lead. After back-to-back singles by Lucas Collet (Toulouse, France/Lyc'ee Bellevue) and Hernandez, followed by a Mariner miscue loaded the bases, Chris Leary (Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) drew a walk for the game's first run. Another Mariner error allowed Hernandez to trot home and Alex Goldberg (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) brought home another run with a grounder.

The hosts struck back with five runs in the second to take the lead for good, Jack Millen knocking a two-out, three-run double for the deciding blow. 

USMMA extended their lead with a solo run in the third and another run in the fifth for a 7-3 lead. The Bears got one back in the sixth on a Mike Medina Jr. (Selden, N.Y/Newfield) RBI single, but the Mariners responded with a run in the bottom half for the final 8-4 deficit.

Hernandez finished the game 2-for-4 as the Bears knocked six hits. Louis Lombardi (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) took the loss going 4.2 innings, striking out six, allowing six earned runs on seven hits.

Tyler Reistetter went the distance for the Mariners, striking out 10 with just one run scoring earned.

Game 2: USMMA 13, St. Joseph's 3 (8 innings)

USMMA scored one in the first and four in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. 

After being held to three hits through four, St. Joseph's posted three runs on three hits in the fifth — all with two outs —  to close the deficit. A Justin Biordi walk followed by a Collet infield single set up Henandez for a two-run double. Hernandez stole third and trotted home on a Leary single.

The Bears couldn't string together any additional offense in their next three frames and the Mariners assembled a three-run sixth and a five-run eighth to reach the 10-run threshold.

Hernandez led the Bears with a 3-for-4, two-RBI, two-double, two-steal effort.

Matt McHugh (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) took the loss in the start going 3.1 innings with three strikeouts. Ryan Wronowski (Maspeth, N.Y./St. John's Prep) tossed a near-perfect seventh in relief, surrendering just one walk.

Next Up

After a month straight of road games, the Bears host CCNY on Wednesday, April 6  First pitch for the non-conference game is set for 3:30 p.m. with live stats and video at SJCBears.com/live.