YAPHANK, N.Y. (March 9, 2014) – The Maritime baseball team lost a pair of seven-inning games on Sunday to Southern Vermont College out at Baseball Heaven on Long Island. The visiting Mountaineers rallied to win the first game by the score of 5-4 and then took the second game of the twin-bill, 7-0. The losses drop the Privateers to 0-6 on the season, while SVC improves to 2-1.
On the mound for the Privateers in game on was senior Kurt Niemeyer (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet Senior), who looked solid through the first two innings, striking out three. The Mountaineers got to Niemeyer in the top of the 3rd, when junior Cody LaBadia knocked a 2-out, 2-RBI double to left field to open the scoring.
The Privateers responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame off of Southern Vermont's sophomore southpaw Erik Johansen. An RBI double by senior Nick Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By the Sea) plated junior Matthew Sollin (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) and junior Joe Longo (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./St. John the Baptist)followed that up with a single to right that scored Galli. Two batters later, sophomore Paul Woodburn (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) knocked home Longo with a one-bagger to left.
In the bottom of the 5th, Maritime added a run on an RBI single to center by freshman Brian McLaughlin(Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) to extend the lead to 4-2. Niemeyer was strong through the fourth and fifth, allowing just one hit.
Southern Vermont loaded the bases with no outs in the 6th and scored one run on a perfectly placed bunt single down the third base line by sophomore Ryan Schuette to bring the score to within one, 4-3. Another bunt attempt failed as it was popped up to third for the first out, but the tying run came across on a fielding error at the plate off of yet another bunt attempt by the Mountaineers' next batter.
A great inning-ending double play that went from sophomore D.J. Seymour (Nassau, Bahamas/Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Ga.)) at third to Sollin at the plate for one to sophomore Bruce Tyler (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) at first for the other helped the Privateers avoid any further damage and the teams went to the bottom of the 6th tied at 4-4.
Maritime went in order in the bottom of the 6th as SVC's new pitcher, freshman Joshua Hay, induced two groundouts to the left side and before a strikeout ended the inning. The Mountaineers' second batter in the top of the 7th, sophomore RJ Pingitore doubled to left center and two batters later scored on another double, this one to left field, by junior Chris Nicastro Jr. which gave Southern Vermont a 5-4 lead.
Hay pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the 7th to seal the victory, the first of his collegiate career. Niemeyer suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts in seven innings. Johansen got a no-decision after pitching five innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with four Ks.
Longo was 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Privateers and recorded an RBI and two runs scored. LaBadia was 2-for-3 for SVC with 2 RBIs and a run scored.
In the second game, the Privateers bats were kept fairly quiet by the Mountaineers freshman righty Dylan Angelo. He allowed just three hits and struck out six over seven innings and picked up the complete game shutout, the first "W" of his career, with the 7-0 result.
For Maritime, freshman hurler Ryan Heizman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) struggled early, allowing two runs in both the 1st and 3rd innings, but settled in after that to finish with six innings pitched, four runs allowed (two earned) on just three hits with five Ks. Junior James Very (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) came in the 7th and allowed three runs (two earned) two hits with one strikeout.
At the plate, LaBadia went 2-for-3 once again with two RBIs and two runs scored. Pingitore was also 2-for-3 and he added an RBI and two runs.
Maritime will be back in action on Monday night with another non-conference double-header against another school from Vermont, Plymouth State University. First pitch against the Panthers is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Baseball Heaven out in Yaphank, in Suffolk County, Long Island, N.Y.