Maritime Head Coach Charlie Barbieri on his team’s 10-9 victory over St. Joseph’s pic.twitter.com/TWxJGQN2L3
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 2, 2019
In a match up between the previous two Skyline Conference Champions, you just knew it would come down to the wire.
SUNY Maritime overcame deficits of 4-0, 7-3 and 9-8 to complete an impressive 10-9 comeback victory against No. 5 St. Joseph’s-LI, the reigning champions on a walk-off walk by Shane Sullivan in the bottom of the ninth.
Final: Maritime 10, St. Joseph’s 9
WP: Blaise DeliseMaritime advances to the double-elimination tournament on Friday against Farmingdale State pic.twitter.com/xcok7HrmIk
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 2, 2019
The game could not have gotten off to a better start for the visiting St. Joseph’s Golden Eagles. They came out red-hot against Privateers’ RHP A.J. Ammirati. They capitalized early with sacrifice flies by Tyler Sanderson and Jesse Nakashian to score Tyler Costa and Tyler Crafa.
In the top of the second, they added two more runs on an RBI single by last year’s hero Gehrig Montoro and a sac fly by Tyler Costa. At that point, even though the game was far from over, it was in a critical moment. Maritime had to stop the bleeding.
Coach Charlie Barbieri went to standout reliever Matthew Paghidas in the second inning to hold the fort and that’s precisely what he did.
He went four shutout inning with five strikeouts to allow his offense to get back into the game. They were going against a tough customer, Anthony Papa, who has proven himself to be a big-game pitcher. He was sharp out of the gate, but the Privateers–minus their elite leadoff hitter Matt Eng–began to chip away.
They got on the board in the third inning on a solo shot by Ryan Rockhill, but stranded two men on base.
In the fourth inning, they added another run on an unearned run to cut the deficit to 4-2 to make the comeback more manageable. They began to drive the pitch count of Papa up, making it more feasible that it would be a battle of the bullpens.
In the fifth, they loaded the bases and Adam Mosca drew a walk to bring home their third run, but Papa was able to end the threat with a strikeout on a nasty curveball to hang on to the lead.
Papa went back out for the sixth inning with 112 pitches, but was taken out after the first batter reached safely on an error. He gave way to Tim Woodford, St. Joseph’s most dominant starting pitcher during the season.
He worked out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth with a double play and a foul popout in which Daniel Campanelli and Nick Vicino collided, but Vicino was able to hold onto the ball.
It appeared St. Joseph’s put the game out of the reach in the 7th inning when Anthony Raucci jacked a three-run home run to open up a 7-3 lead, but the Privateers would not go away.
They scored two in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Rockhill and a throwing error by the catcher to make it 7-5. They nearly took the lead when Travis Zurita sent a long fly to the warning track in right field, just narrowly missing a grand slam but rather it ended the inning with St. Joseph’s still leading 7-5.
Trailing 7-5 in the seventh, Travis Zurita makes a bid for an opposite field grand slam but it is caught at the warning track. End of 7 pic.twitter.com/LOCAmZwpbm
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 2, 2019
In the top of the eighth, the Golden Eagles loaded up the bases and Dan Campanelli came through with a big RBI hit to extend the lead to 8-5, but a ground out to first stranded the bases loaded.
The real entertainment was only beginning in the eighth. After a one-out walk, Adam Mosca launched a two-run home run and Eric Wenig followed with a game-tying home run to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
In the top of the 9th, freshman Blaise Delise came on in relief of Skylar Graff with two runners on. Tyler Sanderson came through with a clutch RBI single for the Golden Eagles to regain the lead, 9-8. It appeared they would have the advantage with their closer, Anthony Caminiti, ready to seal the deal.
Tyler Sanderson comes through with an RBI single and SJC regains the lead, 9-8, in the ninth ! pic.twitter.com/vJzEOGcJ9r
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 2, 2019
In the bottom of the 9th, Travis Zurita led things off with a double down the left field line. After an infield popout, Joe Scerra was hit by a pitch. Adam Mosca hit an infield single to load up the bases–it was a close play at third but the runner just barely beat the throw. Eric Wenig stroked an RBI single to tie up the game. A forceout at the plate made it two outs and it appeared we might go to extras.
Shane Sullivan stood at the plate and took four straight balls to end the game and send the Privateers home winners.
The game took an even 4 hours to complete, an incredible marathon of baseball between two good teams. Blaise Delise was awarded the victory.
The Privateers will have Thursday off before playing No. 1 Farmingdale State on Friday at 1pm in the double-elimination tournament.
