FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The Maritime Baseball team swept a pair of Skyline Conference contest from the Farmingdale Rams on Saturday afternoon from the Farmingdale Baseball Stadium on Long Island. The Privateers took game one by a 5-2 score, before taking game two by a 4-2 margin.
 
The wins give Maritime 11 conference victories on the season, which is two more than the previous record of nine conference victories set back two seasons ago. The 11 conference wins also clinches the third seed in the Skyline Conference Tournament, the highest the Privateers have ever finished in a regular season in modern-day history (2005-present).
 
With the team's nine runs on the afternoon, they set the single-season mark with 227 runs scored in a campaign. The previous mark was held by the 2012 season, when the team plated 221 runs in that season.
 
Pitching and timely hitting was the key for the Privateers as Maritime sent freshmen A.J. Ammirati (Queens, N.Y./Construction) to the hill and tossed seven innings of one-run ball in game one. Sophomore Tyler Stuart (Palm Coast, Fla./Matanzas) got the start in game two and went the first five, allowing one earned run over that span. Sophomore Anthony D'Ancona (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) closed out both games to earn a pair of saves as he pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings on the day and allowed just one hit.
 
Stuart recorded his sixth win of the season to set the modern-day program record passing the five wins set by Christopher Myers back in 2012. D'Ancona's two saves on the day and season, ties the single-season mark, which had been done by five pitchers previously and most recently completed by James Very in 2015. In addition to the statistical milestones, Ammirati became the first pitcher to eclipse the 60 innings pitched mark, which Myers owned in 2012 having thrown 59 1/3 innings that year.
 
Five different Privateers drove in runs, as sophomore Stephen Semler (Kirkland, Wash./Lake Washington) and junior Brian McLaughlin (Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) led the way with two RBIs apiece. Senior Paul Woodburn (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown), as well as sophomore Joe DiLeo (Naples, Fla./St. John Neumann) and Aaron Schiavoni (Sag Harbor, N.Y./Pierson), as well as freshman Jimmy Guerriero (Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park) all drove in runs.
 
Sophomore Chris Deddo (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) filled his role as leadoff hitter by leading the team with three runs scored. Seniors Justin Baierlein (Richmond Hill, N.Y./High School for CTEA), Kevin Monahan (Seaford, N.Y./MacArthur) and Bruce Tyler (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place), along with Semler, Schiavoni, and freshman Anthony Vieto (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) all scored solo runs on the afternoon as well. With his three runs scored, Deddo set the single-season mark with his 35 runs scored on the year breaking the mark set by Joe Longo in the 2012 season.
 
In the opener, Maritime got off to a quick start as Monahan got things started with a one-out single. Two batters later, Woodburn connected on a long triple to the right-centerfield gap to plate the first run of the day.
 
After Ammirati got three groundouts in the bottom of the inning, Vieto led off the top of the second with a walk. Vieto stole second and moved up to third as Baierlein singled, but was thrown out trying to score at the plate.
 
The 1-0 Privateer lead held until the bottom of the fourth as the Rams picked up a two-out triple followed by a single to even the game at one. Ammirati held Farmingdale down as he retired nine of the next 10 Rams batters as the game pushed ahead to the seventh inning.
 
After falling behind 0-2, Vieto worked out a walk in the top of the seventh. Schiavoni was up next and stroked a long-distance opposite field double as Vieto scored to break the tie. Baierlein followed with a single to put runners at the corners, up next was DiLeo, was credited with a single to second base as Schiavoni crossed the plate.
 
Two batters later Monahan was intentionally walked to load the bases and put the force on any base after a wild pitch put two in scoring position for Maritime. Semler drove a base hit into centerfield to score Baierlein. Another two batters later, McLaughlin muscled a hit through the left side as Deddo scored to move Maritime ahead by a 5-1 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Maritime went to freshman right-hander Alex Poliwoda (Southold, N.Y./Southold). The first two batters were retired with ease, but Poliwoda yielded a base hit up the middle. With the next batter up, Schiavoni gunned down the baserunner trying to steal second base to end the threat.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Poliwoda allowed a leadoff double then got the first out of the inning on a popup. The next two batters reached to load the bases as Maritime went back to the bullpen to call on D'Ancona. Maritime's right-hander got the next batter on a groundout, allowing one inherited runner to score, before ending the game on a fly ball to right field.
 
In game two, Deddo doubled over the leftfielder's head to start off the game and moved up to third on a groundout. Up next was Semler, who grounded out to shortstop as Deddo scored the game's opening run. Up next was Stuart on the hill for Maritime, and allowed a leadoff single but retired the next three batters to end the inning.
 
In the top of the second, Tyler reached on an error and moved up to second as the wild throw went up the right field line. Tyler moved up to third on a passed ball, and Guerriero singled him home with a base knock up the middle to put the Privateers up by two.
 
Maritime continued their fence-building efforts in the top of the third as Deddo drove a triple into the right centerfield gap. Deddo was unable to score with Monahan and Semler up, but did scamper home with the team's third run as Woodburn was batting.
 
Farmingdale chipped away with a run in the bottom of the third, and then added another in the bottom of the fourth to pull back within one.
 
Maritime added an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Semler led off the frame with a leadoff single, then stole second. With Semler dancing off of second base, the Ram pitcher threw an errant ball to second allowing Semler to reach third. Two batters later, McLaughlin drove a double down the right field line to plate Semler and move Maritime back ahead by a 4-2 score.
 
D'Ancona took to the hill in the bottom of the sixth, as the first batter reached on an error by the Privateers but was erased as Semler threw him out at second. A double play ended the inning as the runner on second left early and was erased on an appeal.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, D'Ancona made quick work of the Rams with just six pitches. He got two groundouts and a fly out to clinch the third seed for the Privateers.
 
Maritime (22-13, 11-5 Skyline) will play its next game on Wednesday evening, as the team will host sixth-seeded St. Joseph's (Brooklyn). Game time is still to be announced.
 
Farmingdale (18-14, 12-4 Skyline) had already clinched the top seed in the Skyline Conference Tournament entering play on Saturday and will host the double-elimination portion of the tournament beginning on Friday, April 6 through Sunday, April 8.
 
The other playoff matchup on Wednesday will feature fourth-seeded St. Joseph's (LI) playing host to fifth-seeded Mount St. Mary. The winner between the Golden Eagles and the Knights will advance to the double-elimination portion of the tournament with Farmingdale, Old Westbury, and the winner between the Privateers and the Bears.