YAPHANK, N.Y. – The Maritime baseball team opened up their 2018 season with a victory over the John Jay Bloodhounds on Saturday afternoon by the score of 6-1 at Baseball Heaven on Long Island. The Privateers fell in the second game of the season-opening twin bill by a 4-1 score.
 
In the opener senior starting pitcher Anthony D'Ancona(Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) tossed six shutout innings while scattering three hits and striking out six as he notched his first win of the season and 12th of his career. The win ties him on the all-time wins list with Christopher Myers '13, who ended his career with 12 wins in the 2013 season.
 
On the day Maritime was led by seniors Connor Alwan (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) and Aaron Schiavoni(Sag Harbor, N.Y./Pierson), who both registered a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs on the day. Senior Stephen Semler (Kirkland, Wash./Lake Washington) had an strong start to his season in getting on base as he reached base in all but one of his six plate appearances on the day.
 
Freshmen Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, N.Y./Chaminade) and Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, N.Y./Poly Prep) each recorded the first hits of their collegiate careers, with Zurita also cashing in with an RBI on the day. Sophomore Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) picked up Maritime's lone RBI in the second game, while leading the team defensively with 17 putouts at first base.
 
In addition to D'Acona's pitching prowess, he was lifted for freshman Dylan Clausen (Southold, N.Y./Southold), who yielded one unearned run in the top of the seventh inning. The second game saw defending Skyline Rookie of the Year Travis Bruinsma (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) take the hill, as he allowed one run over his five innings of work. Sophomore Brady Dolan (York, Pa./Northeastern) was next in line, before junior A.J. Ammirati (Queens, N.Y./Construction) closed out the second game as he pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings.
 
Game 1 Recap
In the opener D'Ancona allowed a two-out hit in each of the first two innings but did not allow a runner to pass second base to bring up the Maritime offense in the bottom of the second.
 
Semler reached as he was hit by a pitch on a 3-2 count, before Schiavoni reached on an error. Zurita picked up his first hit and RBI of his career with a base knock to give Maritime a 1-0 lead. Two batter later Alwan hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Schiavoni and make it a two-run advantage.
 
D'Ancona breezed through the third to bring up Maritime in the bottom half of the frame. With two outs and a runner on second Semler doubled to deep right centerfield to increase the lead to three before Schiavoni launched his first home run of the year to make it a 5-0 lead.
 
The Privateers added an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth before D'Ancona handled the rest through the top of the sixth inning. Clausen came on and yielded an unearned run before he closed out the inning to seal the victory for the Privateers.
 
Game 2 Recap
In the bottom of the first inning of the second game Maritime got off to a quick start as senior Matt Costleigh (West Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony's) reached on an error and promptly stole second base. Russo flew out to centerfield as Costleigh scored to give Maritime the early 1-0 lead.
 
After coasting through the first Bruinsma allowed a run in the top of the second as the Bloodhounds evened up the score at one apiece. The score remained deadlocked at one as Bruinsma tossed five innings on the day and allowed just the one run while striking out two.
 
Dolan came on to start the top of the sixth inning and allowed three runs on four hits before he was lifted for Ammirati, who picked off a runner to retire the side. Ammirati set down John Jay in order in the top of the seventh inning to send the game to Maritime's last chance.
 
Semler walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh before sophomore Antonio Diaz (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) reached on an error. Alwan singled to put the tying run on base, but the Privateers were unable to collect the big hit to bring home the run as the Bloodhounds hung on for the win.
 
Maritime (1-1) is next scheduled to host Southern Vermont on March 3 at 11 a.m. on the Reinhart Baseball Field.
 
John Jay (1-1) will head to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where it will play six games including its first game against York College of Pennsylvania on Wednesday beginning at 11 a.m.