Game 1: Farmingdale State - 14, Maritime - 5 (9 inning)

Game 2: Farmingdale State - 4, Maritime - 3 (7 inning)

Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team opened the Skyline Conference schedule against Maritime College on Saturday afternoon and won both games, 14-5 and 4-3, to improve to 10-3, 2-0 in conference play. The Privateers dropped to 2-9, 1-2.

For conference doubleheaders, the Rams play a 9-inning game and then a 7-inning game. The 9-inning game is used as a tiebreaker for the Playoffs.

In the first game, Farmingdale State built an 8-1 lead after two innings and never looked back as they rolled to the 14-5 victory. Sophomore lefty Kevin Cashman (Hicksville, N.Y.) improved to 2-0 with a 3-inning outing, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts and no walks.

Junior shortstop Tom Rydzewski (Franklin Square, N.Y.) led the Rams offensively with four hits, five runs scored an RBI and two stolen bases. Junior rightfielder Michael Marino (Franklin Square, N.Y.) had an inside the park homer in the fifth and finished 3-for-5 with 4 RBI's and three runs scored. Junior second baseman Mike Scarlato (Holbrook, N.Y.) went 3-for5 with two runs and 2 RBI's, while freshman leftfielder Richard Sullivan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) was 3-for-4 with one run scored.

In game two, Farmingdale got on the board first for a 2-0 lead after a double by senior centerfielder Edward Bergmann (East Meadow, N.Y.) and RBI singles from freshman third baseman Andrew Karkota (Manorville, N.Y.) and freshman catcher Kenneth Johntry (Yaphank, N.Y.). Maritime scored three runs in the top of the sixth to grab a 3-2 lead, before the Rams responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.

A sac fly to right field by freshman pinch hitter Kevin de Castro (Bethpage, N.Y.) would bring in Richard Sullivan for the first run, followed by a single through the right side by Rydzewski for the eventual game-winning run, a 4-3 Farmingdale lead.

In the seventh, sophomore righty Alex Weingarten (East Rockaway, N.Y.) struck out the first two batters. With two outs, Maritime knocked a single to left and then stole second, but Weingarten struck out the last batter for the third out to secure the 4-3 win.

Weingarten allowed just four hits over seven innings, with no earned runs, one walk and six strikeouts for his third win of the season (3-0). Rydzewski was 2-for-4 with an RBI, Marino had two hits and Bergmann went 1-for-1 with a walk and two runs scored. Karkota went 1-for-2 with a walk, run scored RBI and two stolen bases.

The Rams will now face the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Saturday, March 29th at Van Cortlandt Park in a Skyline doubleheader starting at Noon.

*****