THROGGS, NECK, N.Y. — Senior shortstop and team captain Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) became the 19th student-athlete in program history to reach 100 career hits, but Plattsburgh State baseball dropped both games of its season-opening doubleheader at Maritime College, on Sunday afternoon.
Bryant, who entered the day with 97 career hits, went 3-for-3 in the first game against Maritime (2-0) to reach 100 career hits. His 100th career hit came on a single in the fifth inning. Bryant is the first Cardinal to reach 100 career hits since T.J. Montalbano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) reached the milestone in 2017.
Plattsburgh State (0-2), which lost 10-2 in game one and 8-2 in game two, is scheduled to play a doubleheader at The College of New Jersey at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, in Ewing, N.J. Maritime next faces Northland College in a neutral-site game at 5 p.m. on March 4, in Fort Pierce, Fla.
GAME ONE: Maritime College 10, Plattsburgh State 2
Senior shortstop and team captain Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) went 3-for-3 with a walk and one run scored, but Plattsburgh State dropped game one to Maritime College, 10-2. With his three hits, Bryant became the 19th student-athlete in program history to reach 100 career hits.
Plattsburgh State took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning. Bryant led off the game with a single to right-center field. He then stole second base and advanced to third base on a groundout by freshman designated hitter Steve Messerschmitt (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel). Bryant then raced home to score on a wild pitch.
However, Maritime answered in the bottom of the first inning as the Privateers took a 2-1 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs, catcher Ryan Rockhill drove in two runs with a single to right-center field. Junior right-handed pitcher Matthew Triola (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) struck out the next batter to strand runners on first and third.
After the Cardinals were set down in order in the top of the second inning, Maritime scored two more runs to extend its lead to 4-1 in the bottom half of the inning. After a walk, a groundout and a double put runners on second and third base with one out, center fielder Travis Zurita drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center field with the runner on second also advancing to third. First baseman Phil Russo followed with a single up the middle to bring home the second run of the inning.
To start the bottom of the third inning, freshman right-handed pitcher Peter Gregory (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) came into the game and made his Cardinal debut in relief of Triola. Gregory worked around a one-out single to pitch a scoreless frame in his first inning as a Cardinal.
Plattsburgh State put runners on first and third base with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, but was unable to score as the Cardinals' remained down, 4-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Maritime scored two more runs to increase its lead to 6-1. Designated hitter Jake Vera garnered an RBI single to right-center field and Zurita, who had reached on a walk earlier in the frame, scored on a fielder's choice.
Each team scored one run in the fifth inning to make the score 7-2 in favor of the Privateers. In the top half of the inning, Plattsburgh State's senior catcher Santino Ycaza (Mastic, N.Y./Brentwood Sonderling) reached on an error, advanced to third base on a single by Bryant and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Messerschmitt. The Privateers scored their run on a single up the middle by Zurita.
After the Cardinals stranded runners on second and third in the top of the sixth inning, the Privateers scored three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to make the final score 10-2. Right fielder Eric Wenig drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center field, followed by an RBI double off the bat of shortstop Shane Sullivan and an RBI single by second baseman Matt Eng.
Triola (0-1), allowed four earned runs, while recording two strikeouts and three walks over two innings pitched. Gregory surrendered two earned runs on four hits, while recording one walk and one strikeout. Senior left-hander Kyle Petruzzi (West Islip, N.Y./West Babylon), who pitched the final two innings for the Cardinals, allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits. Petruzzi tallied one walk and one strikeout.
Matt Paghidas started on the mound for the Privateers and limited the Cardinals to one run on four hits over four innings. Paghidas struck out four and did not surrender a walk. Joe Ragone (1-0-0) garnered the win after tossing two innings in relief. Ragone walked four, struck out four and allowed one unearned run. Skylar Graff closed out the game with a scoreless inning pitched. Graff did not allow a hit, while tallying one walk and one strikeout.
Maritime held a 13-5 advantage in hits.
Plattsburgh State committed two errors and Maritime made one.
GAME TWO: Maritime College 8, Plattsburgh State 2
Junior right fielder Erik Matz (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI, but Plattsburgh State fell to Maritime College, 8-2, in game two of their doubleheader.
Plattsburgh State took advantage of two Maritime errors in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Freshman center fielder Kaden Kowalowski (Beekmantown, N.Y./Beekmantown) singled to third base, before advancing to third base on a single by freshman designated hitter Steve Messerschmitt (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) and a throwing error. Messerschmitt advances to second on the error to put runners on second and third with one out. Senior third baseman Simon Alvarez (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) brought Kowalowski home with an RBI groundout to third base. After senior first baseman Stephen Lydon (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) reached on an error to extend the inning, Matz plated Messerschmitt with an RBI double.
On the mound, senior right-hander Alec Fauvell (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) pitched a scoreless first two-innings, including striking out the side in the first inning.
However, Maritime would score one run in the third inning and six more in the fourth inning to take a 7-2 lead over Plattsburgh State.
Fauvell surrendered an unearned run in the third inning. After allowing the first three batters in the fourth inning to reach base on singles to load the bases, Fauvell was relieved on the mound by junior right-hander Chase Blazak (Pelham, N.H./Bishop Guertin). After Blazak struck out the first batter he faced, right fielder Austen Bishop singled to third base scoring one run and an error on the play brought two more runners home to make the score 3-2 in favor of Maritime. Second baseman Matt Eng would later add an RBI single, before stealing two bases and coming home to score when center fielder Travis Zurita reached base on an error. Zurita would later score score on the Cardinals' fourth error of the inning as Maritime pushed its lead to 7-2.
After the Cardinals got a two-out walk, but nothing else, in the top of the fifth inning, Maritime scored one run in the bottom half to make its lead 8-2. Ryan Rockhill doubled, advanced to third base on a single and then scored on a wild pitch. Freshman right-hander Daniel Grant (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) made his Cardinal debut as he recorded the first two outs of the fifth inning before being relieved by sophomore David Ghiloni (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley).
Plattsburgh State was unable to mount a rally in the final two innings as Maritime held on for the 8-2 victory.
Fauvell (0-1) was on the short end of the decision as he allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits over three innings pitched. Fauvell walked four and struck out four. Blazak surrendered three runs (one earned) on three hits while walking none and recording one strikeout in one inning pitched. Grant was charged with one earned on two hits in 2/3 of an inning pitched. Grant walked two and struck out one. Ghiloni tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in relief, limiting the Privateers to one hit and striking out one batter.
Travis Bruinsma started on the mound for Maritime, but did not factor into the decision as he allowed two unearned runs on six hits, while tallying one walk and one strikeout over three innings. JP Silvestri (1-0) pitched a hitless three innings in relief of Bruinsma, while walking one and striking out two. Joe Ragone tossed a one-two-three seventh inning to close out the game.
Hits were 9-6 in favor of the Privateers.
The Cardinals made five errors and the Privateers made two.
