Farmingdale State College

2026 Skyline Conference Baseball Championship - Game 3
(1) Farmingdale State 3, (5) U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 2

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. | Top-seeded Farmingdale State College, receiving votes in this week's ABCA/Rawlings Division III Top 30 Poll, opened the double elimination portion of the 2026 Skyline Conference Baseball Championship with a 3-2 win against fifth-seeded U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on Thursday night.

With Thursday's result, FSC (25-9) will now play in Friday's winner's bracket game at 3 p.m. against third-seeded St. Joseph's University-Long Island, who was a 9-6 winner over second-seeded Maritime College. The Mariners (22-15) will open Friday's tripleheader at FSC in a noontime elimination game against Maritime. Another elimination game, which will pit the winner of the noon contest and the loser of the 3 p.m. tilt, will take place 30 minutes after the second game of the day.

Farmingdale State opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, with junior third baseman Christian Villacci (Nesconset, N.Y.) beginning the frame with a leadoff single to right field. He moved to third base courtesy of a sacrifice bunt and a right-side foul out, before coming home on a single to left field by senior outfielder Mike Kocovic (Mahopac, N.Y.). 

The Rams pushed their lead to 3-0 with a two-run fifth inning. Junior Vincent Deiosso (Glen Cove, N.Y.) led things off by working a walk, before moving up on a sacrifice in which Kocovic reached on an error. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a balk by USMMA starter Baxter Hamilton, with Deiosso doubling the hosts' lead on a sacrifice fly by junior Ryan Wasserman (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). Two batters later, Kocovic crossed the plate on a single to right field by senior and Skyline Conference Player of the Year, Richie Heyder (Holbrook, N.Y.), upping FSC's edge to 3-0.

USMMA rallied with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, with Luke Kruer (leadoff double) scoring on a double by Drew Davis, who moved to third base on a right-side ground out and scored on a RBI grounder by Jason Brown.

The Mariners placed two runners on base with two away in the top of the ninth inning, before senior Derek Watts (Baldwin, N.Y.) shut the door by forcing Davis into a ground out to short to close out the contest.

Farmingdale State junior pitcher Thomas O'Neill (Farmingdale, N.Y.) moved to 3-1 on the season by tossing 5.2 innings of shutout ball, scattering two hits and five walks, while Watts earned his seventh save of the campaign after allowing three hits, two walks and two unearned runs over his 3.1 innings of work.

Offensively, Villacci went 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while freshman center fielder Matt Faraone (East Yaphank, N.Y.) went 3-for-4 with a double.