MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME BASEBALL

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Ballpark at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, Conn.

FINAL:                   BRIDGEPORT 13, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 12

                                                  123         456         789              R             H             E            

Massachusetts Maritime (2-4)     000         090         012     -     12           14           3

Bridgeport (4-8)                         140         701         00x     -       13           13           5             

BATTERIES

MMA:      Keith Sanchez, Patrick Derrane (2), Tyler Smith (3), Chris Mullin (4), T.J. Notarangelo (5), Kyle Kennedy (8) and Matt Pelletier

BRD:       Shaun Hancock, Ryan Manning (5), Ryan Garcia (6), Chris Maull (9), Alex Riley (9) and Anthony Ciuffo, Tim Bickford (9)

WP:         Garcia (1-0)          LP:          Sanchez (0-2)      Save:      Riley (1)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. --  Senior Mike Olszyk (Hamden, Conn.) rapped out three hits and drove in a pair of runs as Division II Bridgeport escaped a ninth inning bases loaded jam to hold off Massachusetts Maritime by a 13-12 final in a non-league college baseball contest played Saturday afternoon at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

Junior John Ascenzia (West Haven, Conn.) drove in three runs as well in the triumph for the host Purple Knights (4-8), who jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the first two innings of action while taking advantage of six hits and a pair of errors in the bottom of the fourth to erupt for seven runs and extend that margin to 12-0.  But the visiting Buccaneers (2-4) came storming back with nine runs in the top of the fifth to close back to within three at 12-9, as Massachusetts Maritime strung together five hits and took advantage of four errors in the frame that was highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of senior Tyler Genereux (Duxbury, Mass.) and a pair of RBI safeties by senior Zachary Sullivan (Barnstable, Mass.) and sophomore Zacary Cooney (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

Ascenzia’s RBI single in the bottom of the sixth extended Bridgeport’s lead to 13-9, but the Buccaneers got that run back in the eighth when junior Brendan O’Kane (Pocasset, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch, and Massachusetts Maritime made things interesting in the ninth when junior Devin Rudolph (Carver, Mass.) and freshman Everett Walsh (Marstons Mills, Mass.) each scored on wild pitches.  The visitors again loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice and a pair of walks, but Purple Knight senior Alex Riley (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) came on to induce a game-ending fielder’s choice groundout.

Junior Brock Roggie (Lowville, N.Y.) added two hits and scored four runs as part of a 13-hit attack in the triumph for Bridgeport, which also received two hits and a pair of RBI from freshman Matt Gagne (West Haven, Conn.) as well as two RBI off the bat of junior Jesse Solar (Marlton, N.J.).  Junior Ben Maher (Plymouth, Mass.) rapped out three of Massachusetts Maritime’s 14 hits in the setback, as O’Kane collected a pair of triples and was joined by Genereux, Walsh and junior Matt Pelletier (Bradford, Mass.) with two hits each.

Junior Ryan Garcia (Franklin Square, N.Y.) picked up the win out of the bullpen for the Purple Knights, as he allowed three hits and a run over three innings, while Riley recorded the final out to earn the save for the hosts.  Junior Keith Sanchez (Monroe Township, N.J.) suffered the setback on the mound for the Buccaneers, allowing four earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of work, while sophomore T.J. Notarangelo (Foxboro, Mass.) shined in relief for the visitors with three innings of two-hit, one-run ball that featured a pair of strikeouts.

Massachusetts Maritime hosts Becker in a non-league outing on Tuesday afternoon at Commodore Hendy Field beginning at 4:00 p.m., as the Buccaneers’ scheduled Sunday doubleheader with Lyndon State has been cancelled and will not be re-scheduled.  Bridgeport will host Post in a non-league outing on Tuesday afternoon at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard beginning at 3:00 p.m.