THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime baseball team was trailing by a 6-2 score heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but a 15-run bottom of the eighth propelled the Privateers to a 17-6 win over the New Rochelle Blue Angels on Tuesday evening on the Reinhart Baseball Field.
 
Senior John Verwoert (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet) and sophomore Phil Russo (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) led the offensive attack with three hits apiece on the game as the pair also scored two runs apiece. Freshman Angelo Brucculeri (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) had a game-high three RBIs, while junior Joe Scerra(Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) and freshman Travis Zurita (Ozone Park, N.Y./Poly Prep) both drove in two each on the night.
 
Senior Chris Deddo (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) had two hits and scored two runs, while freshman Zach Baber (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) also collected two hits and scored a team-high three runs.
 
On the hill sophomore Matthew Paghidas (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) got the start and allowed just one earned run through five innings of work while striking out five. Junior Alex Poliwoda (Southold, N.Y./Southold) came on and struck out four batters over his two innings of work.
 
Junior Sean McQuail (Middle Village, N.Y./Cathedral Prep) allowed one hit and one walk but did not allow a run over his lone inning of work in the top of the eighth as he was the beneficiary of the 15-run inning and earned the win. Freshman Kyle Peterson (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, including two strikeouts.
 
New Rochelle got out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning as the Blue Angels scored four runs on two hits and two errors. The Privateers got two runners on in the bottom of the inning but were unable to score either of them.
 
The Privateers got a run back in the bottom of the third as Zurita walked on four pitches then stole second. Russo doubled to right centerfield to bring home Zurita with Maritime's first run. Baber singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, followed by a base knock by Verwoert. The two stole second and third, and the throw sailed down the left field line allowing Baber to score the second Privateer run.
 
New Rochelle got the two runs back with one in the fifth off of Paghidas, and one in the seventh off of Poliwoda to regain its initial four-run lead.
 
Maritime's 15-run inning began with Baber walking on four balls, followed by Verwoert singling to centerfield before the ball got by the New Rochelle outfielder allowing Baber to score. Brucculeri singled to bring home another run before stealing second. Zurita and Deddo had back-to-back doubles before an infield single off the bat of Russo.
 
Scerra, Vera and Baber all walked consecutively before Verwoert hit a grounder that was misplayed by the Blue Angel catcher attempting to make a tag rather than stepping on the plate.
 
Freshman Shane Sullivan (Stewart Manor, N.Y./Chaminade) singled before Brucculeri laced a double down the left field line. Zurita picked up a sacrifice fly ahead of Deddo singling to knock out the second pitcher of the inning.
 
Russo walked followed by a double off the bat of Scerra and a Vera walk. Baber's third at bat of the inning saw the freshman backstop connect on a first-pitch single to centerfield before advancing to third on an error by the Blue Angel outfielder to score the 15th and final run of the inning.
 
In total Maritime scored 15 runs on 10 hits and seven walks to go along with three Blue Angel errors for their biggest offensive inning since the first inning of last year's Skyline Conference Championship matchup over St. Joseph's (LI), when Maritime scored eight runs in the first inning on the Golden Eagles.
 
Peterson came on in the ninth inning and made quick work of the Blue Angels to cap off the victory for the Privateers.
 
Maritime (12-7, 4-2 Skyline) will be off until Saturday, April 7, when the team heads on the road for the first time in nearly a month as the Privateers visit Staten Island for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
 
New Rochelle (1-12) will host Cobleskill on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at Flowers Park in New Rochelle.