Game 1: Farmingdale State - 4, Merchant Marine - 2
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 3, Merchant Marine - 0
Kings Point, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team earned 4-2 and 3-0 victories over Merchant Marine this afternoon in Kings Point, N.Y. to improve to 12-4 in conference play this season. The Rams currently sit in second place in the Skyline, trailing Mount Saint Mary (13-3) by only one game.
The Mariners (23-10, 10-6 Skyline) struck first in game one as senior right fielder Jacob Sithong (Orland, Fla.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, stole second, and came around to score on a base hit by sophomore shortstop Jesse Reinebold (Granger, Ind.).
The game remained 1-0 until the top of the sixth when a single and an error put runners on first and third with one out. Rams junior shortstop Shawn Blasberg (Sound Beach, N.Y.) batted next and hit an RBI single to drive in sophomore right fielder Devin Caybasi (St. James, N.Y.) from third and tie the game at 1-1. Sophomore second baseman Tyler Schrimpf (Miller Place, N.Y.) followed with an RBI single to bring home senior third baseman Nicholas Soriano (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) and put FSC ahead 2-1.
After Farmingdale State added a pair of unearned runs to go up 4-1, USMMA freshman second baseman Alex Mesaros (Pittsburgh, Penn.) hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth, moved to second on a wild pitch and later came around to score on an RBI single by junior left fielder Zack Winzer (Muskegon, Mich.) to cut the deficit to 4-2.
In the bottom of the ninth with a runner on second base, Rams junior pitcher Logan Hicks (Ekron, KY) tallied two strike outs before producing a ground out to short to secure the Rams 4-2 game one victory.
Caybasi ended with two hits and a run scored, while both Blasberg and Schrimpf went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Rams freshman Jake Jacobs (Commack, N.Y.) (1-0) earned his first career win after striking out seven and allowing just three base runners in six innings pitched. Hicks registered his fifth save of the season, going 1.1 innings in relief and striking out a pair.
The Mariners were led by Reinebold's two hits and one run batted in.
Freshman Joe Raab (Edwardsburgh, Mich.) (6-2) took just his second loss of the season, pitching seven innings and allowing three runs.
Scoreless in the top of the fourth inning of game two, Soriano earned a one-out walk and quickly stole second. After Blasberg struck out, senior catcher Domenic Palumbo (Old Bethpage, N.Y.) hit an RBI double down the right field line to score Soriano and give FSC a 1-0 advantage. Freshman Joey Barbuto (North Babylon, N.Y.) entered the game to pinch-run and stole third base before scoring on a wild pitch to go ahead by two. The next batter, Schrimpf, was hit by a pitch, stole second and was driven in on an RBI single by senior center fielder Brandon Ernest (Owings, MD) to put the Rams ahead 3-0.
Over the final four innings, both teams combined for just four hits as Farmingdale State won, 3-0.
Ernest tallied a game-high two hits, while Palumbo, Schrimpf and sophomore designated hitter Vincent Rice (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) registered one hit apiece.
Sophomore Joe Marino (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) (W, 3-2: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K) and junior Ryan Mallon (Deer Park, N.Y.) (Sv, 2: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K) combined for the shutout, allowing only six baserunners and striking out five.
Merchant Marine junior Andrew Spinnenweber (Pasadena, MD) (5-3) was tabbed with the game two loss after allowing three earned runs in six innings pitched.
The Rams next step out of conference play when they host William Paterson for a single game on Tuesday, April 24th at 3:30 p.m.
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