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United States Merchant Marine Academy

EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Braden Vazquez
Alan J Schaefer
1
Old Westbury OLD WEST 9-14
3
Winner Merchant Marine MERCHANT 16-7
Old Westbury OLD WEST
9-14
1
Final
3
Merchant Marine MERCHANT
16-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Old Westbury OLD WEST 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 5
Merchant Marine MERCHANT 0 0 0 0 2 1 X 3 7 2

W: Sems, Luke (2-1) L: Jimmy Stroehlein (0-1) S: Pierce, Caden (4)

4
Old Westbury OLD WEST 9-15
5
Winner Merchant Marine MERCHANT 17-7
Old Westbury OLD WEST
9-15
4
Final
5
Merchant Marine MERCHANT
17-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Old Westbury OLD WEST 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 7 2
Merchant Marine MERCHANT 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 5 10 1

W: Pierce, Caden (1-0) L: Joe Cavallo (0-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Mariners Take Two From Old Westbury, Vazquez Walk-Off Completes Sweep

KINGS POINT, N.Y. (April 18, 2026) – The USMMA baseball team swept its Skyline Conference doubleheader against Old Westbury on Saturday afternoon at Bartoszek Field, taking game one 3-1 before walking it off in game two on a sophomore Braden Vazquez (Missouri City, Texas) RBI single to secure a 5-4 victory. The Mariners improve to 17-7 (9-1 Skyline), while the Panthers fall to 9-15 (3-9 Skyline).

Game Links

Game 1 Highlights

  • Old Westbury struck first in the opening inning with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.
  • The Mariners broke through in the fifth inning to take control of the game. Sophomore Luke Kruer (Sellersburg, Ind.) delivered a clutch two-run triple to left center to put the Blue and Gray in front 2-1.
  • Merchant Marine added an insurance run in the sixth inning as freshman Axel Prechel (Corvallis, Ore.) brought home freshman Jason Brown (Marlton, N.J.) on a sacrifice play following a throwing error to extend the lead to 3-1.
  • Senior closer Caden Pierce (Marietta, Ga.) shut the door with his fourth save of the season to secure the 3-1 victory.
  • The Mariners had three players record multi-hit games, with Kruer, Brown, and senior Charles Cahalan (Overland Park, Kan.) each tallying two hits.
  • Kruer drove in a game-high two runs.
  • Freshman Luke Sems (Oronoco, Minn.) earned his second win of the season, going five innings, allowing one run, and striking out six batters. Sophomore Travis Campbell (Alba, Texas) pitched a scoreless sixth inning, and Pierce registered his program-leading 21st career save while striking out two batters.

Game 2 Highlights

  • Old Westbury struck first in the opening inning with a run on a fielder's choice to take a 1-0 lead.
  • The Mariners answered in the second inning as freshman Drew Davis (Springboro, Ohio) delivered an RBI double to even the score at 1-1.
  • The Panthers regained the lead in the fifth inning with an RBI groundout to make it 2-1.
  • Kings Point tied the game in the seventh inning when freshman Ryan Melton (Newnan, Ga.) launched a solo home run to even the score at 2-2.
  • Old Westbury responded with two runs in the eighth inning, using an RBI double and capitalizing on an error to take a 4-2 lead.
  • The Blue and Gray battled back in the bottom of the eighth as junior Christian Gamez (Kent Island, Md.) ripped an RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-3.
  • USMMA continued the comeback in the ninth inning when freshman Thomas Byrne (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) delivered a clutch RBI single to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings.
  • After both teams were held scoreless in the 10th, the hosts completed the comeback in the 11th inning as Vazquez delivered a walk-off RBI single down the left field line to secure the 5-4 victory and complete the doubleheader sweep.
  • USMMA posted their 12th double-digit hitting performance of the season, with Vazquez leading the way with a game-high three hits.
  • Kruer registered his 100th career hit on a single in the bottom of the first inning.
  • Melton led Merchant Marine with two runs scored.
  • KP recorded three extra-base hits as Gamez, Davis, and freshman Davin Fulton (Houston, Texas) each registered doubles.
  • Freshman Baxter Hamilton (Sugar Land, Texas) delivered a strong start, going six innings, allowing two runs, and striking out a career-high six batters. Classmate Levi Reale (Woodbridge, Va.) and sophomore Louis Inserra (Coplay, Pa.) both tossed one inning of scoreless relief. Pierce earned the win, going 1.2 innings, allowing no runs and recording two strikeouts.

Up Next
Merchant Marine returns to the diamond tomorrow evening, April 19, against Farmingdale State in a Skyline Doubleheader at Bartoszek Field beginning at 4 p.m. (Please note the updated, later start time.)

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