Baseball Starts Skyline Play with a Split

Patchogue, NY| The St. Joseph's College baseball team opened up Skyline Conference play with a split against the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday afternoon. SJC belted 15 hits en route to a 9-4 victory in game one before falling in game two 9-4.

The Golden Eagles move to 7-5 on the season with a 1-1 mark in conference play. The Mariners improve to 9-7, 2-2 Skyline.

Game One

With the game tied at one, the Golden Eagles jumped ahead with two run on the top of the fourth. USMMA inched to within one, 3-2, with a run in the bottom half of the inning.

Jesse Nakashian and Justin Stromski had RBIs in the top seventh to push the lead to 5-2 before an SJC error resulted in a Mariner run in the bottom of the inning.

A two-run top of the eighth and a two-run Stromski homerun in the ninth pushed the game out of reach for the Mariners.

SJC's Anthony Raucci and Tyler Crafa finished with three hits apiece.

Senior Anthony Papa picked up his first win of the season allowing three runs on seven hits and four strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. Senior Anthony Caminiti earn his second save of the season surrendering one run on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.

Game Two

The Golden Eagles scored in the top of the first, but an eight run bottom half of the inning gave the Mariners all the run support the would need.

Trailing 9-1 going into the sixth, Raucci worked a bases loaded walk to push a run across. Later in the inning a sacrifice fly and a Mariner error resulted in a two runs moving the game to its final 9-4.

St. Joseph's sent five Golden Eagles to mound with starter Nick Mannarino taking the loss.

SJC continues Skyline play on Monday, March 26 with a double header against the College of Mt. St. Vincent. Game one starts at 4:00 pm.