FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The Maritime baseball team swept a pair of games from the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen on Thursday afternoon at the Bob Gladwin Complex in central Florida. The Privateers picked up a walk-off win in game one by a 6-5 score, before holding off a late Lebanon Valley rally in game two, hanging on for the 6-4 win.
 
On the day Maritime was led by senior Chris Deddo(Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and freshman Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, N.Y./Chaminade), with three hits apiece including a pair of two-baggers off the bat of Deddo, who also led the team with four runs scored. Six other Privateers had multi-hit days including junior Joe Scerra (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea), who had a team-best four RBIs, while sophomore Antonio Diaz (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) drove in three on the day.
 
Freshman Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, N.Y./Poly Prep) had two hits with two runs scored, while senior Matt Costleigh (West Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and sophomore Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) both had two RBI afternoons. Sophomore Jake Vera (Plainview, N.Y./Bethpage) also had his first two base knocks as a Privateer in game two of the twinbill.
 
On the hill senior Anthony D'Ancona (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) got the start and allowed one earned run over 5 2/3 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Junior Nick Fortunato (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) pitched an inning in game one before classmate Alex Poliwoda (Southold, N.Y./Southold) came and tossed 1/3 of an inning to pick up his first win of the season.
 
In game two rookie Dylan Clausen (Southold, N.Y./Southold) got the start and went six innings with five strikeouts as he allowed a pair of runs while scattering 10 hits. Kyle Peterson (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) came on for the seventh inning as he made his collegiate debut and struck out one batter.
 
Game 1 Recap
D'Ancona got the ball for game one and worked around a two-out walk in the top of the first. He then scattered a pair of hits in the second inning but kept the Dutchmen off the board until the top of the third, where Lebanon Valley plated a pair of runs on a triple. The Dutchmen added a third run in the top of the fourth and an unearned run in the sixth to open up a 4-0 advantage.
 
The Maritime offense had worked just one hit through the first five innings but the bats woke up in the bottom of the sixth as Deddo led off the frame with a double. Scerra then singled home Deddo to put the first run on the board for Maritime. After Russo replaced Scerra on the bases with a fielder's choice, seniors Aaron Schiavoni (Sag Harbor, N.Y./Pierson) and Connor Alwan (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck)walked to load the bases.
 
Up next was Diaz, who doubled to right field to upload the bases and tie the game at four. Diaz then stole third but Maritime was unable to break the tie score with the lead run stranded 90 feet away.
 
In the top of the seventh, Lebanon Valley regained the lead with a run off of Fortunato before Poliwoda came on to retire the final batter of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh Sullivan led off the frame with a single, followed by a double off the bat of Deddo to put the game-winning run in scoring position. After a pitching change for the Dutchmen, Costleigh attacked the first pitch and singled to score one and even the game at five. After Costleigh took second on defensive indifference, Scerra walked to load the bases.
 
Russo was due up and swung at the first pitch for a base hit into left field to score Deddo and give Maritime the 6-5 victory.
 
D'Ancona didn't factor into the decision but struck out two batters over his 5 2/3 innings of work as he threw 101 pitches on the afternoon. Fortunato got the next three outs, while yielding one run before Poliwoda retired the final batter in the top of the seventh to pick up his fifth career win.
 
Game 2 Recap
In the second game it was Maritime to get off to the quick start as Deddo opened up the game with a one-out double, before moving up to third on a wild pitch. Costleigh then singled home the game's opening run before stealing second.
 
Clausen then went to the hill for his first career start and worked around a one-out single to hold the Maritime lead at one.
 
Alwan walked with one out in the bottom of the second before stealing second base. Zurita was up next and singled to centerfield to bring Alwan home. Sullivan followed with a base knock to put runners at the corners with Scerra up. On a 3-1 pitch Scerra doubled to centerfield to bring home the pair of freshmen outfielders as Maritime increased its lead to 4-0.
 
Clausen followed the offensive outburst by striking out the side in the bottom of the inning, with one hit by pitch in between.
 
As the game progressed to the top of the fourth, Zurita led off with a double then stole third. Scerra reached on an error to bring Zurita home but was out a few pitches later while trying to steal third. Deddo and Costleigh walked followed by an RBI single off the bat of Russo to give Maritime a six-run lead.
 
In bottom of the fourth inning, Clausen started an inning-ending double play after allowing a one-out single. He ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth, surrendering two runs on four hits in the frame. He settled back down and pitched a scoreless sixth as he struck out two in the inning.
 
Peterson came on looking to close out the game in the bottom of the seventh, and retired the first two batters, a strikeout. Lebanon Valley touched up Peterson for a pair of unearned runs before retiring the final batter on a flyout to centerfield to seal the sweep.
 
Clausen struck out five as he needed 103 pitches to get through six innings, he scattered 10 hits and allowed two runs as he registered his first career victory. Peterson came on and needed 23 pitches to secure the final three outs of the afternoon.
 
With its 5-2 overall record, Maritime is off to its best start to a season since the 1978 campaign, when that year's team opened the season at 7-1. The Privateers will be off tomorrow and return to action on Saturday afternoon, when the team plays a pair against the Scranton Royals with first pitch slated for 1:30 p.m.
 
Lebanon Valley (3-5) wraps up its Florida swing and will return home to Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. start against Immaculata.