KINGS POINT, N.Y. (April 8, 2026) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team erased a 6-0 deficit with 12 unanswered runs to defeat non-conference opponent John Jay, 12–6, on Wednesday night at Bartoszek Field. The Mariners improve to 11-6 on the season, while the Greyhounds fall to 1-22 overall.
Game Link
How It Happened
John Jay jumped out to a fast start in the opening inning, capitalizing on a pair of errors and three hits to plate six runs and take a 6-0 lead. The Greyhounds got on the board early as their first two runs scored on errors, giving them a 2-0 lead. They stretched their advantage to 3-0 on an RBI single, followed by an RBI walk and a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0. The Greyhounds capped the inning with an RBI double to push the advantage to 6-0.
The Blue and Gray responded immediately in the bottom of the first, answering with four runs to cut the deficit to 6-4. Sophomore Luke Kruer (Sellersburg, Ind.) drew an RBI walk, freshman Ryan Melton (Newnan, Ga.) followed with an RBI after being hit by a pitch, and classmates Davin Fulton (Houston, Texas) and Thomas Byrne (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) both added RBI walks.
Kings Point tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when Kruer launched a two-run home run to even the score at 6-6.
Merchant Marine took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Braden Vazquez (Missouri City, Texas) scored on an error to give USMMA a 7-6 advantage, before Kruer delivered an RBI double and junior Tommy Chiappetti (Buckeye, Ariz.) added an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 9-6.
KP broke the game open late, adding two runs in the bottom of the seventh on an error that brought home two runs, and another in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single from Byrne to cap the 12-6 comeback victory.
Deeper Look At The Box Score
- The Mariners posted their third straight double-digit hitting performance and eighth total on the season.
- Four players registered multi-hit games as freshmen Drew Davis (Springboro, Ohio), Kruer, Vazquez, and Byrne had two hits each. Senior Charles Cahalan (Overland Park, Kan.), junior Landon Troutt (Fairfield, Calif.), and Fulton all added one hit.
- KP had four extra base hits with Vazquez, Kruer, Byrne, and Davis all recording doubles.
- Kruer also belted his team-leading fourth home run of the season.
- Kruer led the Blue and Gray with four RBIs, while Byrne added two and Fulton drove in one.
- Merchant Marine stole five bases in the contest with Vazquez, Kruer, Byrne, and Davis each recording one.
- After a rough first inning, the KP bullpen came in and retired 21 of the final 22 Batters and threw eight scoreless innings. Freshman Levi Reale (Woodbridge, Va.) threw two scoreless innings and recorded one strikeout. Sophomore Louis Inserra (Coplay, Pa.) threw a scoreless inning and added a strikeout. Senior Eddie Lippert (Deer Park, N.Y.) picked up his second win on the season, allowing no hits and no runs with three strikeouts. Sophomore Travis Campbell (Alba, Texas) tossed two scoreless innings and struck out three batters. Senior Caden Pierce (Marietta, Ga.) threw a scoreless top of the ninth with one strikeout.
Up Next
Merchant Marine returns to action on Saturday, April 11, hosting St. Joseph's-Brooklyn in a Skyline Conference matchup at noon at Bartoszek Field.
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