FORT PIERCE, Fla. (March 14, 2025) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team recorded a 6-3 advantage in hits, but stranded nine runners and was defeated by Penn State Behrend, 3-2, on Friday. They Mariners fell to 3-6, while Lions improved to 7-4.
 
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Sophomore Christian Gamez (Kent Island, Md.) finished 1-for-4 with a two-run double, while junior Charles Cahalan (Overland Park, Kan.) went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Freshman Cody White (San Diego, Calif.) struck out five and surrendered three runs, while allowing just three hits in 7.0 innings of work.
 
The Lions plated a pair of runs in the top of the first after loading the bases with back-to-back one-out singles and a two-out walk. A pair of run-scoring wild pitches followed as Behrend took a 2-0 lead.
 
USMMA tried to answer in the bottom of the first as senior Jack Millen (Shelby, N.C.) led off with a single and stole second, but the next three batters were retired.
 
White tossed a 1-2-3 second and followed with a 1-2-3 third before allowing an infield single to open the fourth.
 
After sophomore Landon Troutt (Fairfield, Calif.) was stranded at second following a two-out double in the bottom of the fourth, White worked a 1-2-3 fifth and tossed yet another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.
 
The Lions then manufactured a run in the seventh. A leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base gave Behrend a runner on third with two outs before a passed ball made it a 3-0 game.
 
Following a 1-2-3 eighth from reliever Chris Viggiano (Seaford, N.Y.), USMMA broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Cahalan led off with a double before sophomore Tommy Chiappetti (Buckeye, Ariz.) singled to quickly give the Mariners runners on the corners with no outs. Gamez then made it a 3-2 ballgame with a two-run double to center.
 
The Mariners put the tying run on base in the ninth as freshman Luke Kruer (Sellersburg, Ind.) singled with one out, but the next two batters were retired to end the game.
 
The Mariners wrap up their Florida trip on Saturday, March 15, with a 9:30 a.m. game against Wabash.