Game 1: Farmingdale State - 12, Merchant Marine - 4
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 5, Merchant Marine - 0
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team played their first conference games of the season today and swept Merchant Marine. The Rams earned a 12-4 victory in the opener and closed out the doubleheader with a 5-0 win.
The Mariners (2-8, 0-2) led off the game with back-to-back singles and used a two-out, two-run double down the left field line by junior first baseman Michael Barnes (Alexandria, Va.) to take a 2-0 lead. Merchant Marine increased the advantage to 3-0 later in the inning after scoring on a passed ball.
Farmingdale State (5-7, 2-0) scored a run on an error in the bottom of the first inning to cut the deficit to 3-1.
With two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the third, FSC used a Vincent Rice (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) single up the middle and a two-run triple by senior first baseman Dalton McCarthy (Manorville, N.Y.) to tie the score at 3-3. Later in the inning, a double steal by McCarthy and junior third baseman Nick Osburn (East Islip, N.Y.) gave the Rams their first lead of the game, 4-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, a two-out bases loaded walk to junior second baseman Domenic Palumbo (Plainview, N.Y.) plated Anthony Gigante (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) and increased the advantage to 5-3. Rice followed with a sacrifice fly and then a double steal scored Cam Alfano (Yaphank, N.Y.) to put Farmingdale State on top, 7-3.
Leading 9-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the Rams used a pair of RBI doubles from Tyler Schrimpf (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Ryan Kelly (East Rockaway, N.Y.) and an RBI single by Anthony Sirianni (Sayville, N.Y.) to go ahead, 12-4. The Rams held Merchant Marine scoreless in the top of the ninth for the game one victory.
Rice was 4-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI, while junior shortstop Nicholas Soriano (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) had two hits, one run scored and a run batted in. Nine different FSC batters recorded at least one hit in the victory.
Sophomore pitcher Matthew Constantine (West Babylon, N.Y.) (2-1) earned the win after allowing one run on two hits, while striking out seven in six innings of work.
The Mariners were led by sophomore second baseman Jesse Reinebold (Granger, Ind.) and junior designated hitter Bryson Campbell (Cool, Calif.) who each had two hits and scored a run.
With two outs in the bottom of the second in game two, sophomore designated hitter Joseph Roche singled to left and Osburn followed with an RBI triple to right center for the early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, McCarthy hit a two-out single through the right side and later stole second. In the next at-bat, Roche singled to center and stole second to bring runners to second and third. After a walk to Osburn loaded the bases, the Rams were picked off third base to keep the game at 1-0.
The Mariners had a runner on first with one out in the sixth and FSC sophomore pitcher Ryan Mallon (Deer Park, N.Y.) struck out the batter and Sirianni threw the runner out attempting to steal second to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Farmingdale State took a two-run lead on an RBI double by McCarthy which scored Rice. After a walk to Roche and a single by Sirianni loaded the bases, a 2 RBI double to right from Soriano extended the advantage to 4-0. The Rams added another run after junior right fielder Brandon Ernest (Owings, Md.) hit an RBI single through the left side.
Mallon retired the batters in order in the top of the seventh to cap off the 5-0 victory.
McCarthy finished the second game with two hits, including a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Roche was 2-for-2 and scored a pair of runs. Sirianni was 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and a run scored.
Junior pitcher David Otero Jr. (Shelton, Conn.) picked up his first win of the season after throwing five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight. Mallon recorded his second save after closing out the final two innings.
FSC will next play host to Mount Saint Mary in a Skyline Conference doubleheader on Sunday, March 26th at noon.
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