PURCHASE, N.Y. (May 1, 2022) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team picked up its two largest wins of the year on the regular season's final day, as the Mariners swept Manhattanville College on the road in come-from-behind fashion. USMMA with the two wins improved their record to 23-17 overall (13-7 Skyline), while the Valiants dropped to 19-18 (11-9 Skyline).
 
Game Links

• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score 

In a twin bill where the Mariners proved to be comeback kids. USMMA rallied in their final turn at-bat in both games to snatch victories from the jaws of defeat.
 
Game 1 saw Merchant Marine started off by two RBI apiece from junior Joey Zanetti (Richmond, Va.) and senior Matthew Novakowski (Hillsdale, N.J.). Off and running up 4-0, freshman Jack Millen (Shelby, N.C.) and junior Jared Chambers (Houston, Texas) added run-scoring hits to extend the lead to six.
 
Manhattanville roared back with six runs of their own to even the score. USMMA responded in the sixth after a balk by Anthony Caputo plated freshman Derek Vanasse (Camarillo, Calif.) with the go-ahead run. Millen added his second RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly to make it 8-6 Mariners. Manhattanville once again respond in the bottom of the inning with a four-spot to jump in front 10-8.
 
With their backs against the wall in a pivotal Game 1, sophomore Tyler Reistetter (Dickinson, Texas) delivered his second two-run home run in as many days to tie the game at 10 all. The Mariners' Game 1 starter did not factor in the decision on the mound, but he was certainly impactful at the plate. In his largest at-bat of the season, Reistetter drove the ball to the opposite field and bring his team's dugout to their feet.
 
Going for the knockout punch, Millen came through again with his second RBI single and third RBI of the game to put USMMA up for the third time 11-10. Senior Noah Herdman (Naperville, Ill.) added a huge insurance run to double the Mariners' lead to two. As a result of Merchant Marine's comeback, sophomore Tommy Payton (Palm Harbor, Fla.) earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the season while Sean Demo took the loss for Manhattanville and fell to 1-3 on the year.
 
Junior Ryan Novakowski (Hillsdale, N.J.) earned the first save of his college career with a one-two-three bottom of the seventh. With one huge win under their belts, the Mariners looked to carry the momentum into Game 2.
 
In nearly a carbon copy of Game 1, the Mariners and Valiants scored a combined 20 runs in Game 2. USMMA once again jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the second inning on the strength of three RBI from Chambers and an unearned run. Chambers has gotten hot at the right time by slashing .520 with 11 RBI (13-for-25) over his last seven games. The Mariners' shortstop finished the season second on the team in batting with a .372 clip.
 
Refusing to go away, Manhattanville stormed back with a five-spot in their half of the second to leapfrog the Mariners. After an unearned run tied the game for USMMA in the fourth, the Valiants went ahead 7-5 in the fifth.
 
In a back-and-forth affair, run-scoring hits from Millen and Vanasse tied the game for the third time at a touchdown's worth apiece. A passed ball in the seventh allowed senior Brayden O'Connell (Beaver Dams, N.Y.) to score the eighth Mariners run and reclaim the lead.
 
With the season on the line, the Valiants refused to go down without a fight. Manhattanville plated two in the bottom of the inning to create the third lead change of the regular season's final game. Headed to the ninth inning up 9-8, the Valiants were once again three outs from victory.
 
The speed of O'Connell tied the game for USMMA in the ninth after the senior knocked a leadoff single and stole second to get into scoring position. Vanasse came through immediately following the swiped bag with the largest hit of his career with an RBI single to tie the game at nine. As the inning progressed, a bases-loaded two-out situation stared Jared Chambers in the face.
 
With his team's playoff position hanging in the balance, Chambers came through yet again with a two-run single to put the Mariners up to stay 11-9. Chambers has gotten hot at the right time by slashing .520 with 11 RBI (13-for-25) over his last seven games. Five of those 11 RBI came in the doubleheader against the Valiants.
 
Holding a two-run lead three outs away from a dramatic doubleheader sweep, head coach Michael Notebaert handed the ball to Novakowski once again. Novakowski delivered for the second time on the day with a hitless ninth inning and two strikeouts. Not only did the Mariners sweep the doubleheader, but they also won both games in momentum-building fashion. Momentum that the Mariners will look to carry into the postseason.
 
Merchant Marine finished the regular season in fourth place in the Skyline standings and will host rival SUNY Maritime College at Bartoszek Field on Wednesday, May 4, in the First Round with a trip to Skyline Double-Elimination Championship Tournament next weekend on the line. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Baseball Schedule Page.
 
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