Game 1: Farmingdale State - 5, Merchant Marine - 4 (F/8)
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 5, Merchant Marine - 2
Kings Point, N.Y. - FSC junior right fielder Bobby Pollock (Manorville, N.Y.) hit a solo home run in the eighth inning of game one to propel the Rams to a 5-4 win in Saturday afternoon's Skyline Conference doubleheader. The Rams (21-11, 13-5 Skyline) used a three-run fifth inning in the nightcap to complete the sweep of the Mariners (21-17, 11-7), scoring a 5-2 decision to pick up their 10th victory in their last 11 contests.
With game one scoreless in the top of the third inning, a Merchant Marine fielding error put runners on first and second with one out. The next batter, senior center fielder Vincent Napolitano (Bellmore, N.Y.), notched an RBI ground out to put Farmingdale State on the board, before freshman shortstop Patrick Dallas (Patchogue, N.Y.) and sophomore first baseman Jordan Lambert (Plainview, N.Y.) hit back-to-back RBI singles to give FSC a 3-0 advantage.
The Mariners responded in the bottom of the third as sophomore right fielder Tyler Reistetter (Dickinson, Texas) and junior shortstop Jared Chambers (Houston, Texas) each knocked an RBI single to cut their deficit to one at 3-2.
Farmingdale State increased their lead to 4-2 in the fourth after Pollock led off with a walk and later came around to score on an RBI ground out by sophomore catcher Aidan Hutchins (Wading River, N.Y.).
The Rams held the 4-2 advantage until two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Chambers tallied a two-run double down the left field line to score Reistetter and freshman center fielder Derek Vanasse (Camarillo, Calif.) to tie the score at 4-4.
Neither team was able to push across a run in the sixth or seventh as the game went into extra-innings.
With one out in the top of the eighth, Pollock drew a 2-1 count before drilling a home run over the right field fence to put the Rams in front, 5-4.
FSC senior right-handed pitcher Stephen Clancy (Mineola, N.Y.) moved to 8-1 on the campaign after shutting the door in the bottom of the inning, forcing a ground out before striking out the next two batters to clinch the complete-game win.
Clancy tossed 117 pitches, allowed just four hits and struck out 10 to improve to 8-1 on the season.
Pollock led the way offensively with two hits, including the big home run, a walk, one RBI and two runs scored. Dallas recorded a base hit, one run scored and one run batted in, while junior third baseman Nolan White (Miller Place, N.Y.) drew a pair of walks and scored once.
For USMMA, Chambers had two hits and a game-high three runs batted in.
In game two, Michael Iacobellis's (Seaford, N.Y.) one-out fielder's choice allowed Napolitano to score the first run of the game four batters into the contest.
Reistetter pushed his side in front in the bottom of the first, drilling a two-run homer to right field to put USMMA by a 2-1 score.
Sophomore Daniel Molina (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.) brought Farmingdale State level at 2-all with a two-out single to right in the top of the fourth stanza to score freshman Kyle Dorset (Freeport, N.Y.).
The Rams then scored three more unanswered runs in the fifth, taking a 5-2 edge that it would not relinquish. Lambert lofted a sacrifice fly to score Napolitano and give the visitors the lead for good, before freshman Justin DiMartino (Bethpage, N.Y.) reached on a bunt single, allowing Dallas to score FSC's second run of the inning. Richard Apollo Jr. (Seaford, N.Y.) then reached on a bases-loaded sacrifice bunt to account for the final score.
Senior lefty Joe Marino (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) tossed 3.2 innings of three-hit, four-strikeout shutout ball to pick up the win on the hill for Farmingdale State, while Napolitano went 2-for-3 with a double, walk, stolen base and two runs scored to lead his side's offensive efforts. Pollock and Molina (1-for-3 with a walk apiece) both reached base twice in the victory.
Head coach Keith Osik's Farmingdale State side will play host Old Westbury in the final doubleheader of the regular season Sunday at noon. Prior to the contest, the Rams will hold Senior Day ceremonies.
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