Bucs Sink Vikings to Advance to Conference Championship

BRIDGEWATER, MA -- On Saturday morning, the Buccaneers took the field against Salem State in the MASCAC semifinals losers bracket in Bridgewater with the winner moving on to play the top-seeded Bears in the Conference Championship at 3pm. Behind a strong pitching performance by Sam Huffman, Brady Parks, and Brenden Baiardi Maritime pulled off the win 6-3.

The Basics

Final: Buccaneers 6, Vikings 3

Records: Maritime (25-16)

               Salem (23-19)

On The Mound

Maritime: Sam Huffman (W, 4-1): 6 IP | 9 H | 2 R | 2 ER | 0 BB | 4 K

                Brady Parks: 2 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 0 K

                Brenden Baiairdi: 1 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 0 BB | 2 K

Salem: Juan Hurtado (L, 2-3): 2.1 IP | 2 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 2 BB | 1 K

At The Plate

Maritime

• Frank Aten, Aidan Henderson, and A.J. Luciano each had two hits in the game.
• Alex Schlapak and John Tropea both added a hit.
• Henderson and Luciano hit solo home runs in the win.
• Aten had a three-bagger, Tropea rounded out the extra-base hits with a double.
• Henderson drove in two runs. Tropea, Luciano and Tucker Leslie all had RBIs.
• Henderson scored twice in the game. 
• Aten, Tropea, Luciano, and Leslie all scored.

Salem

• Salem outhit Maritime 12-8. Traverse Briana had three hits. Jake Boucher, Zachary Piroh, and Christian Burt all had two hits.
• Boucher, Piroh, and Brahiam Ortega each drove in a run.
• Burt scored twice, Briana scored the team's third run. 

How It Happened

The Buccaneers scored first in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch that brought Leslie in to score. Up 1-0, Maritime added two runs in the bottom of the fourth on a Tropea double to left center that scored Henderson, then on a Leslie ground out that scored Tropea. The Bucs held a 3-0 lead after four innings.

In the fifth, Salem got on the board, scoring on an Ortega single to left field to score Burt. The Bucs got the run back in the bottom of the frame when Henderson singled up the middle bringing Aten in to score.

The Vikes cut the deficit to two runs in the top of the sixth when Piroh delivered a double to right field, bringing Briana across the plate. Once again, in the bottom of the inning, the Bucs got the run back by way of a Luciano home run, his second of the season, to left field that was a no doubter off the bat.

Maritime added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on another home run, this one from the bat of Aidan Henderson, his second of the season. The Bucs held a 6-2 lead after eight.

Though they gave up a run in the ninth when Boucher singled to score Burt, the Buccaneers held on to win 6-3 to advance to the Championship round against Bridgewater State.

What's Next

Maritime plays #1 seed and tournament host Bridgewater State at 3pm in the Championship round of the Conference Tournament. A win for the Bucs this afternoon means the teams play again on Sunday at 12pm for the Championship. If the Bears win Saturday's matchup they will be crowned MASCAC Champions.