PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (May 10, 2024) – Senior Tyler Reistetter (Dickinson, Texas) tossed eight innings and recorded a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh as the second-seeded U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team overcame an early deficit to defeat #6-seed Manhattanville, 8-4, on Friday on Day 1 of the Skyline Championships. The Mariners improved to 27-14, while Manhattanville fell to 20-20.
The victory was the 300th career win for 16th-year head coach Michael Notebaert, all coming as the skipper at USMMA.
Reistetter (7-3) allowed four runs (three earned) and struck out nine batters to earn the win, while also finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate. Freshman Tommy Chiappetti (Buckeye, Ariz.) went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored, while junior Travis Leatherwood (Catonsville, Md.) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs, and freshman Ben Bridges (St. Petersburg, Fla.) finished 1-for-5 with two RBIs.
The Mariners took an early lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a pair of two-out RBI singles. Chiappetti set the table with a one-out single before junior Garrett Clapsaddle (Murphy, N.C.) singled to give USMMA runners on first and second with one out. Reistetter then helped his own cause with a two-out RBI single before sophomore Charles Cahalan (Overland Park, Kan.) added another RBI single to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
Manhattanville, however, used a bases-clearing double with two outs in the third to grab a 3-2 lead. Reistetter struck out the first batter before allowing a walk and a single. After the lefty bounced back with another strikeout, a walk loaded the bases and a three-run double to left center put the Valiants on top.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh when USMMA retook the lead with a three-run frame of its own. Chiappetti and Clapsaddle once again started things with back-to-back one-out singles before Leatherwood tied the game with an RBI single up the middle. After Reistetter roped an RBI double into the right field corner, Cahalan was intentionally walked and Bridges promptly made it a 5-3 ballgame with an RBI groundout.
The Valiants then took advantage of an error and pulled to within one with an unearned run in the eighth. A one-out walk started things before an error gave Manhattanville runners on first and second with one out. Reistetter retired the next batter, but a two-out RBI single trimmed the USMMA lead to 5-4.
USMMA responded immediately with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Jack Millen (Shelby, N.C.) led off with a walk and Chiappetti doubled to quickly set up runners on second and third with no outs. Leatherwood added a sacrifice fly before Reistetter was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. Reistetter then stole second, while Chiappetti swiped home on a delayed double steal before Bridges made it 8-4 with an RBI single.
The Mariners advance to Day 2 of the 2024 Skyline Conference Baseball Double-Elimination Championship Tournament and will face #4 seed Farmingdale State in the winner's bracket tomorrow, Saturday, May 11. The game will be the second of the day after Friday night's elimination game was postponed to Saturday morning due to weather. First pitch of the USMMA-FSC game on Saturday will be approximately 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph's-L.I.'s Alfano Field. Live stats and live video feeds of all games of this weekend's Skyline Tournament will be available with links on the USMMA Baseball Schedule Page.