YORK, Pa. – The Maritime baseball team fell in their NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region opener on Thursday evening by the score of 5-3 to the No. 10 Shenandoah Hornets from PEOPLEsBank Park.

The loss forces Maritime to face sixth-seeded Elizabethtown on Friday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. in a win-or-go-home matchup against the Blue Jays.
 
Junior Anthony D'Ancona (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) got the start for the Privateers and tossed 8 2/3 innings to keep the Hornets at bay through the majority of the game before yielding solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings for the difference in the game. Freshman Brady Dolan (York, Pa./Northeastern) struck out the only man he faced to round out the pitching for the day.
 
Offensively Maritime featured a different-looking lineup with four starters, including three all-conference selections out on the college's summer sea term. However, the lineup put on the field put forth a valiant effort in their search for a win over the Hornets.
 
Freshman Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) led the Privateers with three hits on the day and also notched one RBI. Junior Chris Deddo (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) had an RBI of his own and also scored a run as he went 1-for-4 on the night. Senior Brian McLaughlin (Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and scored one run, while freshman Matt Lobello (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) was 1-for-2 with three walks and had several key defensive plays to keep the Privateers in the game.
 
Freshman Antonio Diaz (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) hit cleanup and caught for Maritime and walked once, while classmate Tommy Buckman (McLean, Va./McLean) hit ninth and got the start in right field as he registered the team's only extra-base hit on the day. Senior Chris Stewart (Bethpage, N.Y./Chaminade) made several key grabs in centerfield, while sophomore Matthew Buckshaw (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) and freshman Skylar Graff (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) played the field at third base and second base respectively, instead of their usual pitching positions.
 
After the Privateers went down in the top of the first, D'Ancona walked the second batter in the bottom of the inning but was able to get out of the frame unscathed as the defense turned a 4-6-3 double play. D'Ancona cruised through the second inning as well to send the game to the third.
 
Maritime took the first lead of the game with a two-run inning in the third as Buckman led off the frame with a triple down the right field line. Deddo reached on a fielder's choice as the throw went home but was dropped by the catcher as Maritime took a 1-0 lead.
 
McLaughlin followed with a groundout to move Deddo to second, before Russo singled to left field as Deddo scored from second to put the Privateers up 2-0. In the bottom of the third, Shenandoah scored twice to even the game at two.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, Maritime got its offense going again in the top of the fifth as McLaughlin reached on a two-out walk. After stealing second, Russo followed with another single to put runners on the corners with two down. Diaz then hit a ground ball to second that was botched allowing McLaughlin to score and put the Privateers back in front, 3-2.
 
The Hornets responded once again with a run in the bottom of the fifth to even the game at three runs apiece.
 
After Maritime left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Shenandoah took advantage and took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the inning, then added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 5-3 lead.
 
Dolan retired the final Hornet of the night via strikeout after D'Ancona's 8 2/3 innings on the mound.
 
In the top of the ninth, Maritime threatened once again as they pinned the second-seeded Hornets against the ropes. Deddo singled, followed by a base knock by McLaughlin. Russo reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with no outs. However, the Hornet closer was able to retire the next three Privateers to escape the upset.
 
Maritime (26-12) will play again tomorrow for a 1:15 p.m. scheduled start time against sixth seeded Elizabethtown in an elimination game from PEOPLEsBank Park in York, Pa.
 
Shenandoah (37-8) advances to the winner's bracket and will take on Wheaton (Mass.) with first pitch slated for 7:45 p.m. tomorrow evening.