KINGS POINT, N.Y. (April 4, 2022) – The USMMA baseball team split its non-conference doubleheader with Saint Elizabeth University on Monday. The Eagles took the opener 3-1, while the Mariners bounced back to win Game 2 by the score of 9-1. Saint Elizabeth finished the day with a 6-13 record and Merchant Marine's record moved to 11-12 after the twin bill.
 
Prior to the game, the ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by a very special visitor in attendance with ties to both teams. Thomas Tone, the younger brother of Francis B. Tone, a cadet-midshipman that was lost at sea in 1943 and one of The 142, was at Bartoszek Field to watch his grandson Jack play for Saint Elizabeth. More information and pictures of the first pitch can be found on the official Facebook page for USMMA, at this link.
 
Game Links

• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score 

Game 1 saw a pitchers' duel between Diego Rodriguez and freshman Michael Monkevich (Gaithersburg, Md.). The Mariners drew first blood in the third inning on an RBI single by junior Joey Zanetti (Richmond, Va.). The Eagles scored the final three runs of the game, however, to take the victory. In relief of Monkevich, sophomore Tommy Payton (Palm Harbor, Fla.) tossed two scoreless innings for a second-straight appearance. Payton has allowed only one hit over his last four innings pitched.
 
Payton's two innings of shut-down ball must have been contagious as all sophomore Kole Register (Virginia Beach, Va.) did in Game 2 was put up zeros. Register, who picked up his second win of the season, tossed five scoreless innings only allowing one hit. It was smooth sailing for the Mariners' right-hander, especially because of the run support he received.
 
Merchant Marine's offense came out swinging in Game 2. After an RBI triple by sophomore Tyler Reistetter (Dickinson, Texas) opened the scoring in the first inning, the Mariners tacked on four more in the second against Eagles starter Maxwell Solomon to extend their lead to 5-0. Solomon suffered his first loss of the season.
 
The big hit of the inning was supplied by team RBI-leader senior Noah Herdman (Naperville, Ill.), who muscled a two-run single to center field. The door was left open for the Mariners after Justin Otero booted a sure double play ball. Merchant Marine took advantage and Herdman now has 31 RBI on the season, good for second in the Skyline Conference.
 
Merchant Marine's offensive onslaught continued in the fifth inning as head coach Michael Notebaert's squad orchestrated their second four-run inning of the game. The headlining hit of the frame came off the bat of freshman Derek Vanasse (Camarillo, Calif.), who drilled a two-run double into the left field corner to put the Mariners up 8-0 at the time.
 
Junior Andrew Dreyfuss (Naples, Fla.) set the Eagles down quietly in the seventh inning to close out the victory. He appeared out of the bullpen for the second-straight day and has seen action on the mound in four of the Mariners last six games. The junior racked up eight strikeouts over four innings pitched in the four appearances.
 
The Mariners' focus now shifts to a Skyline Conference Championship Series rematch with Old Westbury on Saturday afternoon, April 9. The Panthers and Mariners will tangle in a doubleheader at Bartoszek Field set to begin at high noon. Merchant Marine has fond memories of the championship series from last May, which saw senior Garrett Aichele (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) launch a walk-off home run to win the conference title for the Mariners. Live links for the doubleheader will be available on the USMMA Baseball Schedule Page.
 
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