KINGS POINT, N.Y. (March 21, 2022) – The USMMA Mariners baseball team put together a complete effort in their 10-3 win over arch-rival Coast Guard. Merchant Marine snapped its four-game losing streak and improved to 4-9 with the win. Coast Guard, in defeat, fell to 5-6.
 
Game Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Freshman Travis Leatherwood
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Freshman Jacob Syversen

 
Game Recap
It turned out to be the Mariners who came out roaring rather than the Bears. Merchant Marine attacked early and often against Coast Guard starter Charles Red, who suffered his second loss of the season. The Mariners plated three runs in the opening inning thanks to RBI singles from senior Noah Herdman (Naperville, Ill.), and freshmen Derek Vanasse (Camarillo, Calif.) and Garrett Clapsaddle (Murphy, N.C.).
 
The Mariners' ship kept sailing in the second as junior Jared Chambers (Houston, Texas) picked up an RBI single of his own to make it 4-0. After a walk to Vanasse loaded the bases, freshman Travis Leatherwood (Catonsville, Md.) made history by hitting the first grand slam in Bartoszek Field history. In the blink of an eye, Merchant Marine's lead doubled from four to eight.
 
Two more runs were added on in the home fourth on a Clapsaddle sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single by junior Joey Zanetti (Richmond, Va.). Clapsaddle registered his second multi-RBI game in the last three contests. Zanetti picked up his seventh multi-hit game of the season by going 3-for-5 at the dish. Up 10-0, the Mariners were having fun in the sun against their bitter rivals.
 
On the mound, freshman Jacob Syversen (Land O' Lakes, Fla.) was poised and proficient from the opening pitch. The winning pitcher tossed five solid innings allowing three runs on four hits and struck out four. A moment of growth occurred for Syversen in the fourth as he got out of a based-loaded no outs jam unscathed by inducing two pop ups and a strikeout looking. Syversen improved to 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA on the young season.
 
Syversen was relieved by the trio of senior Billy Todd (Gastonia, N.C.), freshman Michael Monkevich (Gaithersburg, Md.) and sophomore Blake Jennings (Snellville, Ga.). The three Mariners relievers combined for four scoreless innings allowing only one hit and one walk. The golden ticket for the Mariners on the mound was pitching to contact. Of the 27 outs recorded, 22 were registered either on the ground or in the air.
 
Up next, the Mariners hit the road once again for a five-game trip that begins Wednesday afternoon versus FDU-Florham. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Baseball Schedule Page. Conference play begins on Saturday with a doubleheader in Patchogue against St. Joseph's-Long Island. Merchant Marine's road trip concludes with an in-conference doubleheader at Yeshiva on Sunday. The Mariners return home next Wednesday, March 30, to host Bard College.
 
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