UNION, N.J. (March 22, 2025) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team bounced back from a loss in the opener and recorded a game two win to earn a doubleheader split on the road at No. 15/10 Kean. The Mariners were defeated, 8-5, in the first game before winning, 8-6, in game two. USMMA is now 6-7 on the season, while Kean is 16-3.
Game Links
Game 1
USMMA trailed just 2-1 before Kean put up a six-run sixth and held on to defeat the Mariners, 8-5. Freshman
Louis Inserra (Coplay, Pa.) finished 1-for-2 with a two-run home run to pace the Mariners, while classmate
Luke Kruer (Sellersburg, Ind.) was 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore
David Cherwonuk (Chattanooga, Tenn.) took the loss after allowing five runs in 5.1 innings.
After grabbing a 1-0 lead with an RBI groundout in the second, the Cougars extended their lead to 2-0 with a two-out RBI single in the fifth.
USMMA then broke into the scoring column with a run in the sixth. Senior
Danny Heck (Massillon, Ohio) drew a walk to lead off the frame before sophomore
Tommy Chiappetti (Buckeye, Ariz.) made it a 2-1 ballgame with a two-out RBI double.
A three-run home run in the bottom of the frame, however, highlighted a six-run inning as Kean grabbed an 8-1 lead.
The score remained the same until the Mariners put together a two-out rally in the ninth. The first two batters were retired before sophomore
Christian Gamez (Kent Island, Md.) walked to extend the inning. Sophomore
Landon Troutt (Fairfield, Calif.) followed with a single before Kruer added an RBI single to center. Inserra then launched a two-run home run to pull USMMA to within 8-5 before the third out was made to end the game.
Game 2
Three players registered multi-RBI games as the Mariners overcame a two-run deficit with a four-run sixth en route to an 8-6 victory. Kruer finished 1-for-4 with four RBI, while Troutt went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Chiappetti was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Senior
Garrett Clapsaddle (Murphy, N.C.) also went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first after a leadoff double and a bunt single quickly set up runners on the corners with no outs. Freshman starter
Cody White (San Diego, Calif.) bounced back with a strikeout before USMMA retired the lead runner at home on a fielder's choice, but a passed ball allowed a run to score.
USMMA manufactured a run to tie the game in the second. Clapsaddle led off the inning with a single before a sacrifice bunt and a Troutt single gave the Mariners runners on the corners with one out. Kruer then tied the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly.
Kean promptly broke the tie in the bottom of the second after a leadoff single was followed by an RBI triple. The Cougars then grabbed a 3-1 lead with an RBI fielder's choice.
The Mariners were in business in the third after back-to-back singles opened the frame, but a double play and a strikeout quickly ended the inning.
The Cougars then tacked on two more runs in the third as a two-out, two-run double made it a 5-1 ballgame.
USMMA responded by loading the bases with no outs as part of a three-run fourth. Clapsaddle and Gamez led off with back-to-back singles before Troutt was plunked to load the bases. Kruer followed with a three-run double to left center as the Mariners pulled to within 5-4.
After Kean made it 6-4 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, USMMA took the lead with a four-spot in the sixth. Sophomore
Ricardo Olivares (Flower Mound, Texas) and senior
Jack Millen (Shelby, N.C.) set the table with back-to-back one-out singles and freshman
Braden Vazquez (Missouri City, Texas) was plunked to load the bases. Chiappetti tied the game with a two-run single before a two-out walk to Gamez reloaded the bases. Troutt then connected for a two-run single that put the Mariners up, 8-6.
Sophomore
Chris Viggiano (Seaford, N.Y.) allowed one run in 1.0 inning to earn the win, while Kruer tossed 3.0 scoreless innings of relief. Junior
Caden Pierce (Marietta, Ga.) worked a scoreless ninth for the save.
The Mariners travel to New London, Conn., on Tuesday, March 25, for a 3:30 p.m. game against rival Coast Guard.
