THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (March 29, 2014) – The Maritime baseball team dropped both ends of a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon to the St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) Bears on Saturday afternoon. The Privateers were upended in the first game by a 19-5 score, and followed that up with a one-run loss in the second game by a 7-6 score.

In the opener, senior Kurt Niemeyer (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet Senior) was sent to the hill in search of his first win of the season, but was greeted rudely as Joseph Mendez connected on a three-run home run to open up the scoring in the top of the first inning. St. Joseph's added two more runs in the top of the third inning as the Bears led 5-0 heading to the bottom of the inning.

Senior Tom Bauer (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) led off the frame with a walk, two batters later classmate Nick Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By the Sea) sent his first home run of the season sailing over the fence to trim the Privateer deficit to 5-2. The Bears got one of the runs back in the next half inning after a failed pickoff attempt allowed the sixth St. Joseph's run to score.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, junior Matthew Sollin (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) reached with a one out single and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Galli followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with one down. A wild pitch was thrown with the next batter up, and Sollin moved up to third then sprinted home after the catcher threw the ball into left field. Galli tried to follow Sollin home, but was erased on the play on a relay to the plate.

In the next half inning, Niemeyer allowed a leadoff single, followed by an error from the defense to put the second runner on base. Two batters later, Niemeyer walked the batter to load the bases with just one out in the inning. Junior James Very (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) was brought on to provide some relief, but was also greeted rudely by Mendez, as the slugger sent his third home run of the game sailing over the left centerfield fence to increase the lead to 10-3.

Maritime added a run in the sixth on a bases loaded walk by Bauer to score junior Joe Longo (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), who led off the inning with a walk. St. Joseph's added nine in the next frame on seven hits and three errors to open up a 19-4 lead. The Privateers tacked on one in the bottom of the seventh as a throwing error allowed freshman Lenny Baldassare (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) to come across with Maritime's fifth and final run of the opener.

Niemeyer (0-4) took the loss as he allowed seven earned runs on as many hits, while also walking six batters. Very pitched 2/3 of an inning and was credited with allowing one run on as many hits. Freshman Adam Len (Kearny, N.J./Queen of Peace) struggled through the final inning but did help save the rest of the Privateer bullpen, as the rookie allowed seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks in his lone inning of work.

In game two, St. Joseph's jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a run in the second and yet another Mendez multi-run homer in the third inning, for his fourth dinger of the afternoon.

Sollin got in on the home run derby with a solo shot to right center in the bottom of the fourth inning as he helped trim the deficit to 3-1. Senior Trevor Cannella (Sea Cliff, N.Y./North Shore), who had started the game yielded two more runs in the top of the fifth inning as the Bears took a 5-1 lead.

Maritime's bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth, freshman Thomas Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea)got the inning started with a single and then moved up to second on a wild pitch. Bauer then walk, and Sollin followed with a single to plate T. Galli. Older brother, N. Galli was up next and was erased on an outfield assist from the rightfielder, but Bauer scored to trim the lead to 5-3.

Two batters later, with sophomore Paul Woodburn (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) at the plate, Sollin scored on a passed ball to pull Maritime back within one. Woodburn walked, followed by Longo getting a free pass to first base as well. Junior Pat Kirk (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) singled to load the bases with two down in the inning. FreshmanChris Stewart (Bethpage, N.Y./Chaminade) drew a walk that allowed Woodburn to score and tie the game at five.

A leadoff walk in the top of the sixth inning proved to be costly for Cannella, as a pair of groundouts moved the go-ahead run to third base with two away. Another pair of walks loaded the bases, to increase the pressure in the inning. An error by Maritime, allowed a pair of runs to score as the Bears regained its lead at 7-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, Bauer led off with a walk and was moved up to second on a groundout, followed by N. Galli picking up a single to move Bauer to third while carrying the winning run himself. Galli attempted to steal second but was picked off, however he stayed in the rundown long enough to allow Bauer to score Maritime's sixth run.

The top of the seventh inning was started, but the rains continued to come down and make the field unplayable. The game was called with two outs in the top of the seventh, and by rule the game is reverted back to the last full inning, forcing the Privateer to lose by a 7-6 score.

Suffering his second loss of the season was Cannella, after going the complete six innings of the game and allowing five earned runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Maritime (4-12, 1-2 Skyline) was scheduled to play a pair of games tomorrow at home against NYU-Poly, however those games have been postponed to a date still to be determined. The Privateers will take the diamond next on Wednesday against nearby opponent Lehman on Reinhart Field. St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) will take on Vaughn in its next set of games on Sunday at 11 a.m. at MCU Park in Brooklyn.