YAPHANK, N.Y. – Holding SUNY Maritime College to a combined four runs on nine hits across two games, Southern Vermont College swept a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Baseball Heaven in non-conference baseball action with wins of 5-4 and 7-0.
The Mountaineers are now 2-1 on the season while the Privateers drop to 0-6 on the year.
Down 4-2 going into the sixth in Game 1, SVC tacked on two runs to tie the game before adding the go-ahead score on a double by junior captain Chris Nicastro Jr. (Kenilworth, N.J.) in the top of the seventh for the comeback victory. The day-cap then saw Mountaineer freshman Dylan Angelo (Ft. Johnson, N.Y.) go the distance with the three-hit shutout, striking out six in his first collegiate start.
Game 1: Southern Vt. 5, Maritime 4
SVC junior first baseman Cody LaBadia (Howes Cave, N.Y.) was 2-3 with a walk in the frontend of the doubleheader, both of his hits being doubles, while knocking in two runs and plating one of his own. Sophomore second baseman RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.) went 2-4 with two runs scored, and junior Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) added a 2-3 appearance at the plate with a walk and stolen base.
Mountaineer sophomore lefty Erik Johansen (Rosendale, N.Y.) went five innings with the start on the mound, giving up three earned runs on six hits while striking out four. He took the no-decision as Southern Vt. trailed 4-2 when he was relieved by freshman right-hander Joshua Hay (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) who was able to keep Maritime off the board with a scoreless two innings from the pen to earn his first collegiate win (1-0). He sat down each of the six Privateers he faced to keep them from manufacturing any offense.
Junior second baseman Joe Longo (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) was the only Privateer to record multiple hits, going 2-2 with a sacrifice in the loss; he scored two runs while knocking in another and swiping a bag. Senior righty Kurt Niemeyer (Nanuet, N.Y.) drops to 0-2 on the season from the bump after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits in seven innings of work.
Neither side was able to push a run across the plate through the first two frames before SVC went up 2-0 in the top of the third when LaBadia ripped a double to left to score junior captain Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Pingitore. The Privateers answered in the bottom of the inning with three of their own with help from a single by Longo with a runner on second to tie it at 2-2. He then scored on a base hit by sophomore center fielder Paul Woodburn (Huntingtown, Md.) for the go-ahead run.
Longo scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth after advancing to second and third on a balk and passed ball, respectively, and then getting knocked in by freshman left fielder Brian McLaughlin (Massapequa, N.Y.) to go up 4-2.
Southern Vt. came right back in the following box with some small ball to score two and tie it up in the sixth. After another LaBadia double, Nicastro got plunked and Hernandez walked to load them up for sophomore catcher Ryan Schuette (Ballston Spa, N.Y.). He laid down a bunt towards third, allowing LaBadia to score while all runners advanced safely. Two batters later, Niemeyer misplayed a ball to allow Nicastro to come through with the game-tying run.
Hay went one-two-three in the bottom of the sixth, getting the first two Privateers to ground out before the third went down looking at strike three. The Mountaineers then went ahead in the top of the seventh when Pingitore doubled with one out, forcing Maritime to intentionally walk LaBadia. Nicastro made the hosts pay as he knocked a double out to left in the subsequent at-bat to put SVC ahead 5-4. Hay made quick work of the Privateers in the bottom of the frame with another pair of grounders sandwiching a fly-out to center for Southern Vt. to grab its first win of the season.
Game 2: Southern Vt. 7, Maritime 0
LaBadia stayed hot at the plate in Game 2 with another 2-3 showing, adding a second pair of RBIs and two more runs scored to go with a sacrifice fly. Pingitore was also 2-3 while picking up a walk, plating two runs and knocking in another; he added two stolen bases in the win.
Maritime was hard-pressed to gather any offensive drive with all three hits being singles, two coming in the same inning. McLaughlin was 1-3 while junior catcher Matthew Sollin (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) worked three walks to register no official at-bats. Freshman right-hander Ryan Heizman (Commack, N.Y.) took the loss from the hill (0-2) after going six innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks. He recorded five strike outs in the effort.
Carrying its momentum into the second game, SVC wasted no time in taking a lead with two runs in the top of the first. Pingitore roped a double to left to plate Sciara before advancing to third. LaBadia then got the ball far enough out to center for Pingitore to tag up and score for the 2-0 advantage.
That would be all Angelo needed as he was able to keep Maritime off the basepaths while getting help from his defensive backing. The Mountaineers turned two double-plays and committed no errors in the field en route to the shutout win.
Southern Vt. added two more runs in the top of the third with a Hernandez single to center to score the first. Nicastro was able to move up to third and then made his way safely to the dish on an error by Woodburn in the outfield for SVC to take a 4-0 lead.
The Mountaineers threw three more on the board in their final turn at the bat, including one off a single by LaBadia through the right side of the infield. Angelo faced just 24 hitters in the complete-game performance to move to 1-0 on the season.
Southern Vt. now packs up for its annual spring trip as the Mountaineers head down to Ft. Myers, Fla. Thursday for the Gene Cusic Classic; SVC will open the New England Collegiate Conference schedule with a three-game series against Mitchell College in the Sunshine State, beginning with a single 9-inning game on Friday at 4 p.m. Maritime turns around to host Plymouth State University at Baseball Heaven on Monday for a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.