THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime baseball team picked up a pair of Skyline Conference victories on Saturday. The Privateers knocked off the Purchase Panthers by the scores of 4-1 in game one and 8-1 in game two on Reinhart Field.
 
On the day sophomore Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) went 6-for-8 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore Antonio Diaz (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) picked up five hits, while scoring three runs and driving in one. Senior Matt Costleigh (West Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony's) connected on four hits, while freshman Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, N.Y./Chaminade) had a team-high four RBIs while going 3-for-7 at the plate. Senior John Verwoert(Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet) also added two RBIs on the day.
 
Sophomore Travis Bruinsma (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) got the start in the opener and allowed one run over his 7 2/3 innings while striking out five. Sophomore Brady Dolan (York, Pa./Northeastern) went the first six innings in game two and yielded one run over that span while allowing two hits and striking out three. Sophomore Skylar Graff (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) picked up the save in game one as he tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings. Junior Nick Fortunato (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) tossed the final inning of the day and recorded one strikeout.
 
Game 1 Recap
In the opener Bruinsma got through the inning before Maritime came up in the bottom half. Costleigh walked on four pitches but was erased trying to steal second base. Neither side was able to break through until the sixth inning, as Bruinsma coasted through the next five innings.
 
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs, freshman Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, N.Y./Poly Prep) singled followed by a base knock from Russo. Sophomore Jake Vera (Plainview, N.Y./Bethpage) walked to load the bases before a fielding error allowed the first run to score. Sullivan then followed with a knock down the left field line to plate a pair and give Maritime a 3-0 lead.
 
Given the lead for the first time on the gam, Bruinsma allowed an infield single with two outs in the seventh before slamming the door shut on the Panthers. Two of the first three batters reached in the eighth inning as Purchase scored a run off of the Maritime starter before Graff came on to retire the final batter of the inning.
 
The Privateers got the run right back in the bottom of the eighth as Diaz launched his first home run of the season to give Maritime a 4-1 advantage. Graff then got through the bottom of the ninth, getting a double play to close out the game.
 
Game 2 Recap
In the second game Purchase got on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning off of Dolan. Maritime got the lead in the bottom of the first with a double off the bat of Costleigh before Zurita walked and stole second two batters later. Russo was up next and blooped a singled to plate a pair and give Maritime a 2-1 lead.
 
Maritime opened the second inning with a base hit off of the bat of Diaz. Sullivan bunted Diaz to second before he stole third. Verwoert reached on a fielder's choice and brought home Diaz, who slid in under the tag to put Maritime up a pair.
 
The Privateers added two runs in the bottom of the third as Zurita singled followed by a knock by Russo. Freshman Zach Baber (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) got a sacrifice fly to bring Zurita home. Diaz and Sullivan singled followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Verwoert to close out the scoring in the inning at 5-1 in favor of the Privateers.
 
Russo collected another RBI with an opposite-field single in the fourth to bring home Zurita, who walked and stole second. Diaz then led off the fifth with a double before Sullivan launched his first career home run to increase the Maritime lead to 8-1 heading into the sixth.
 
Fortunato came on for the top of the seventh inning and worked in and out of trouble without allowing a run to seal the win for the Privateers after Dolan was lifted after six innings.
 
Maritime (11-5, 4-0 Skyline) will be back at home tomorrow to take on the St. Joseph's (LI) Golden Eagles for a league doubleheader slated to begin at 12 p.m. on Reinhart Field.
 
Purchase (10-6, 2-2 Skyline) will be at home to host the Old Westbury Panthers for an 11 a.m. start at the Purchase Baseball Field.