FORT PIERCE, Fla. (March 13, 2026) – The USMMA baseball team saw its three-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-2 loss to Monmouth (Ill.) on Friday morning at Lawnwood Sports Complex. The Mariners fall to 3-2 on the season, while the Fighting Scots improve to 4-10 overall.
 
Game Link

• Box Score 

How It Happened
Both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings before the Blue and Gray broke through in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Luke Kruer (Sellersburg, Ind.) delivered an RBI single to left field to give them a 1-0 lead, then freshman Ryan Melton (Newnan, Ga.) uncorked an RBI double to left field to extend the advantage to 2-0.
 
Monmouth responded in the top of the fifth inning with three runs to take the lead, scoring once on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Fighting Scots then tied the game later in the inning on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch before taking the lead on a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 3-2.
 
Kings Point threatened to answer in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Davin Fulton (Houston, Texas) singled down the left-field line and later stole second before sophomore Braden Vazquez (Missouri City, Texas) worked a walk to put two runners aboard. After a strikeout, junior Tommy Chiappetti (Buckeye, Ariz.) reached on an error to load the bases. The rally ended with a lineout out to center field, however, allowing the Fighting Scots to maintain the 3-2 lead.
 
Monmouth held KP scoreless for the final four innings to hold on for a 3-2 win.
 
Game Highlights

• Melton led the Mariners with two hits, including a double. Junior Landon Troutt (Fairfield, Calif.), Kruer, and Fulton all had one hit each.
• Kruer and Melton drove in all the Blue and Gray's runs.
• Kruer and Fulton each recorded a stolen base in the contest.
• Chiappetti had a strong start for USMMA, tossing three scoreless innings, allowing one hit, and striking out three batters. Freshman Levi Reale (Woodbridge, Va.) entered in the top of the fourth inning, throwing a scoreless inning, retiring three out of the four batters he faced. Classmate Michael Brown (Dumfries, Va.) took the loss, allowing three runs and recording one strikeout. Sophomore Louis Inserra (Coplay, Pa.) went 3.2 innings, allowing no runs, two hits, and a strikeout. Classmate Travis Campbell (Alba, Texas) tossed a scoreless top of the ninth inning and allowed one hit.
• Roy Ralston earned the win for Monmouth after throwing six innings, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out nine. Dane Keeven recorded the save for the Fighting Scots, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts. 

Up Next
Merchant Marine closes out their Florida Spring Break trip tomorrow morning, March 14, at 9:30 a.m. against Lasell at Lawnwood Sports Complex in Fort Pierce, Fla.

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