FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The Maritime baseball team opened its 2015 campaign on Thursday afternoon with a pair of games against the Mass. Maritime Buccaneers at the Bob Gladwin Complex. The Privateers and Buccaneers split the doubleheader with New York picking up the victory in the opener, before dropping a close decision in the night cap.
 
Maritime won the opener by the score of 5-2 as the win marked the first career win for first-year head coach Charlie Barbieri. In the second game, Maritime fell by the score of 2-1.
 
Senior Ryan Alsdorf (Bethel, N.Y./Sullivan West) got handed the ball for the opener and did not disappoint as he allowed just one run and two hits over five innings of work.
 
Mass. Maritime got on the board in the top of the first inning with a leadoff walk followed by a bunt, and flyout to advance the runner to third with two down. A base knock down the left field line allowed the Buccaneers to take the early advantage.
 
The Privateers responded quickly, and with two outs, as sophomore Brian McLaughlin (Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist)got a two-out rally going with a double to centerfield. Senior Matthew Sollin (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) walked followed by junior Kevin Monahan (Seaford, N.Y./MacArthur) reaching on an infield single to load the bases.
 
Trying to catch Monahan napping at first base, the Mass. Maritime pitcher attempted to pick off the Privateer leftfielder, but threw the ball away allowing two runs to score. Junior Paul Woodburn (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) walked to put two runners on base, but Maritime was unable to blow the game open.
 
After allowing the first inning run, Alsdorf settled down and retired the next six batters. He put the first two runners on base in the top of the fourth but got out of the jam on a popup and a pair of comebackers.
 
Meanwhile in the bottom of the second inning, sophomore Thomas Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) reached base on an error and then stole second base. Two batters later, freshman Chris Deddo (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) brought Galli around with a double to right-centerfield. Neither side was able to get anything going offensively again until the bottom of the fifth, when Maritime tacked on some insurance runs.
 
In the inning, senior Joe Longo (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) was struck by a pitch, and then promptly stole second. Two batters later, Sollin was also hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Monahan was up next and drove a single to left field to plate Longo and give Maritime a 4-1 advantage.
 
In the top of the sixth, sophomore Ryan Heizman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) came on and yielded one run in his one inning of work as the Buccaneers trimmed the lead in half.
 
The Privateers took advantage of some shaky Buccaneer defense when yet another failed pickoff attempt allowed Deddo to score after doubling earlier in the inning and advancing to third on a groundout.
 
Senior James Very (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) came on to seal the victory as he allowed just one hit in his inning of work to collect his second career save.
 
Earning the win was Alsdorf, who allowed one run on two hits and two walks, while striking out three Buccaneers on 72 pitches.
 
In the second game, Maritime revamped its lineup and also sent rookie Anthony D'Ancona (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) to the bump for his first career start. In the bottom of the first inning, Mass. Maritime was first to score once again as they scored a run on a pair of groundouts following a leadoff double.
 
The Privateers got the run right back the following inning as rookie Aaron Schiavoni (Sag Harbor, N.Y./Pierson) sent a booming double to left field. Two batters later, classmate Pete Dombrowski (Huntington Station, N.Y./St. Dominic) grounded out to first unassisted, however the fielder threw across the diamond wildly allowing Schiavoni to score and tie the game.
 
Mass. Maritime got its lead right back as it put a runner on second with one out, and then advanced the runner to third with two outs in the frame. A chopper to third base was unable to be handled cleanly by the Privateer defense, which allowed the go-ahead and eventual winning run to score in the bottom of the second.
 
D'Ancona then settled down and scattered four baserunners over the next four innings to give his offense a chance to tie or possibly take the lead. Maritime had a superb chance in its final offensive inning to do just that.
 
With two outs in the top of the seventh, sophomore Chris Stewart (Bethpage, N.Y./Chaminade) walked on a 3-2 pitch. He then advance to second and then to third on a pair of wild pitches. Up next was rookie Connor Alwan (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck), who sent a sinking line drive towards the right field line, but was robbed on a highlight-reel catch to end the ball game.
 
Taking the hard-luck loss was D'Ancona, after allowing just one earned run over six innings while allowing just four hits. For D'Ancona it was his first career complete game.
 
Maritime (1-1, 0-0 Skyline) will resume its trip in Florida on Friday evening, when the Privateers take on Lebanon Valley of the Commonwealth Conference for a 7 p.m. first pitch at the Bob Gladwin Complex.
 
Mass. Maritime (1-1, 0-0 MASCAC) will have Friday off before taking on Lebanon Valley on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., also at the Bob Gladwin Complex.