Merchant Marine athletics photo

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (May 1, 2021) – USMMA senior starting pitcher Joe Raab (Edwardsburg, Mich.) has finally done it! The southpaw tossed the program's first no-hitter since the 2007 season on Saturday in the Mariners' 4-0 first-game victory at Farmingdale State. Merchant Marine went on to win the second game in a comeback, 5-4. The two wins move the Mariners' record to 12-3 (11-3 Skyline), while the Rams fall to 11-10 (10-7 Skyline) after the sweep.

Raab struck out seven FSC batters, while walking four, as he earned his fourth win of the year – moving his complete game total to five and also picking up his third shutout. This came a week after he fell one out shy of a "no-no" against Mount St. Vincent. It was the second time in his career he had gotten that close.

The Mariner offense opened the scoring in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single by junior Zac Skov (San Clemente, Calif.) that plated sophomore Joey Zanetti (Richmond, Va.). They then tacked on three more in the fifth on an RBI single by junior Brayden O'Connell (Beaver Dams, N.Y.), a sacrifice fly by Skov and an RBI fielder's choice by freshman Jack Millen (Shelby, N.C.) to give Raab a nice 4-0 cushion. Zanetti and Skov led the team with two hits apiece, as Zanetti also scored twice.

In the bottom of the seventh, with three defensive outs to go, Raab induced a groundout to second and then struck out the final two batters to complete the no-hitter.

In game two, Farmingdale opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Mariners clawed back to within one with a pair in the top of the fifth on a triple by Millen followed by a single by senior Timmy Chase (Scituate, Mass.).

Merchant Marine took the lead in the top of the seventh with an RBI single by senior Jacob Kelly (Norfolk, Va.) and then a sac fly by O'Connell. The Mariners added an important insurance run in the eighth on a single by senior Colin Baker (Clyde Hill, Wash.) that plated Skov.

In the bottom of the ninth, with senior reliever Andrew Hunt (Severna Park, Md.) in for the save, the Rams got an RBI double to come within one and then loaded the bases after an intentional walk. Hunt was ice cold, as he struck out the final two batters, including the last on a full count, to secure the victory. It was his sixth save of the year.

The victory on the mound went to junior Quinton Heck (Massillon, Ohio), who faced just one batter in the bottom of the sixth and induced an inning-ending double play. Freshman Tyler Reistetter (Dickinson, Texas) started the game and lasted 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

The Mariners are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, May 2, when they close out the series against Farmingdale State at home with a doubleheader. The first nine-inning game will count towards the Skyline standings, followed by a seven-inning affair that will be "non-conference." First pitch is scheduled for 12-noon at Bartoszek Field.