THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime baseball team registered their 12th Skyline Conference win of the season with a game two win over the Farmingdale Rams on Saturday afternoon by a 1-0 score. The 12th win in league play sets the program record for conference wins, breaking the mark of 11 set just a season ago in 2016. Earlier in the day the Privateers fell to the Rams by an 11-2 score in game one.
 
In between games the three members of the Maritime senior class were recognized as Brian McLaughlin (Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), Chris Stewart (Bethpage, N.Y./Chaminade) and Joe DiLeo (Naples, Fla./St. John Neumann) each were honored for their contributions to the program over the past several seasons.
 
Freshman right-hander Travis Bruinsma (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) led the Privateers to the game two victory with a complete-game shutout against the Rams as he yielded just two hits and two walks against seven strikeouts. Junior battery-mate Aaron Schiavoni (Sag Harbor, N.Y./Pierson) picked up the clutch RBI in the bottom of the fourth inning for the only run of the game as McLaughlin raced home from second with the lone run of the game.
 
Overall on the day, freshman Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) had three hits with a pair two RBIs coming in the opener, while McLaughlin was the only other Privateer with multiple hits as he collected two singles. Sophomore Matt Costleigh (West Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and junior Chris Deddo (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) also scored runs as the pair had solo hits on the day. Juniors Connor Alwan (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) and Stephen Semler (Kirkland, Wash./Lake Washington) also recorded hits on the afternoon.
 
On the hill in game one, sophomore A.J. Ammirati (Queens, N.Y./Construction) got the start and tossed 5 1/3 innings, while sophomore Nick Fortunato (Coram, N.Y./Longwood), sophomore Sean McQuail (Middle Village, N.Y./Cathedral Prep) and junior Brian Hughes (Maspeth, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) combined to finish the nine-inning game.
 
Game 1
In the early going of game one the Privateers and Rams exchanged scoreless innings, as Ammirati matched the defending Skyline Pitcher of the Year through the first three innings. In the fourth a pair of back-to-back two out doubles gave the Rams the 1-0 lead.
 
Farmingdale added a crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth after the first two outs were retired. The next two batters reached on a walk and a single, before the Rams connected on a three-run homer to move ahead 4-0. The Rams added another run in the sixth as Fortunato came on and got the final two outs in the inning.
 
The Rams added a run off of Fortunato in the seventh with a double, sacrifice bunt and a single to open a 6-0 margin before McQuail came on in the eighth and hung up a zero to keep the deficit at six.
 
Alwan reached with a two out single in the bottom of the eighth and stole second, but Maritime was unable to bring him across as the game advanced to the ninth. In the final frame, the Rams tallied five runs on five hits to put the game out of reach at 11-0.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Costleigh reached to lead off the inning before Deddo singled to right to put two runners on. Three batters later, Russo collected his first extra-base hit of the year with a double to the left centerfield gap to chase home Costleigh and Deddo for the lone Privateer runs of game one.
 
Game 2
Looking to rebound in the second game, the Privateers battled both the Rams and some unwelcomed blustery conditions in game two as the Privateers sent Bruinsma to the hill.
 
The freshman right-hander mowed down the Rams through the first four innings, allowing just a walk and a double along the way.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, McLaughlin got the rally started with a single through the infield to chase the Farmingdale starter from the game. Russo singled to the opposite field as McLaughlin moved up to second. Schiavoni followed with an opposite field single as McLaughlin raced home from second to score the lone run of the game.
 
In the fifth, Bruinsma stranded a runner on second after a leadoff single, and stranded another runner in scoring position in the sixth after a one out walk. In the bottom of the seventh, Bruinsma retired the side in order with help from his defense as Stewart grabbed a wind-aided ball in deep left field, while Alwan made a diving catch in centerfield to end the game.
 
With the win Bruinsma improves to 7-2 on the season, and sets the single-season wins mark in the process as he takes the spot over from teammate Tyler Stuart (Palm Coast, Fla./Matanzas), who notched six wins in 2016. Bruinsma also tied the single-season complete games record with his fourth game going the distance this season. He also moved into the top five in innings pitched in a season at 52 1/3, with the record set by Ammirati a year ago at 64 1/3 innings.
 
Up Next
Maritime (20-11, 12-3 Skyline) visits St. Joseph's (Bklyn) tomorrow for a single make-up game with the Bears beginning at 12 p.m. from the American Legion Field in Brooklyn.
 
Farmingdale has concluded the regular season with an overall record of 21-14 and a league record of 13-5. The Rams can finish in the second or third spot in the final Skyline standings depending on the outcome of Maritime's final three conference games over the next two days. If Maritime wins at least two of their final three games, the Rams will be the third seed.