Patchogue, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Baseball team continued play in the 2017 Skyline Conference Championship on Saturday with an 18-4 loss to top-seeded St. Joseph's-L.I. and remained alive in the event with a 7-4 victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy in an elimination game. Peter Knights (White Plains, N.Y.) recorded three hits in the opener, while John Santana (Warwick, N.Y.) earned the win on the mound against the Mariners.
 
(1) St. Joseph's-L.I. 18 – (5) Mount Saint Mary 4
The top-seeded Golden Eagles put the game away early with six runs in their first at-bat and five more in the second inning. Tyler Crafa drove in a run with a walk in the first before Anthony Bonilla delivered two runs with a single. In the five run second, Lou Doria drove a two-run home run out to right field to push St. Joseph's in front 9-0.
 
The Mount's deficit ballooned to 14-0 following a Matthew Burnett two-run single in the fifth before the Knights broke through to get on the board in the sixth. Matthew Kozireski (Montgomery, N.Y.) drove in Christopher Introcaso (Newburgh, N.Y.) with the team's first run on a sacrifice fly.
 
The Golden Eagles built their lead to 18-1 after eight innings before the Mount closed out the scoring in the game with three runs in their final at-bat. Kevin Edgar (Southampton, N.Y.) drove a two-run home run out to left field and Santana doubled home Knights with the game's final run.
 
Seven different Golden Eagles finished with at least two hits in a 22 hit attack. Bonilla led the charge with a 4-for-6 effort with two runs and four RBI. Doria recorded a pair of hits, scored twice and drove in four runs.
 
Knights finished 3-for-3 with a run with Santana going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Edgar drove in two runs, while Introcaso finished with a hit and a stolen base.
 
Jake Stewart (Wallkill, N.Y.) took the loss on the mound after allowing eight earned runs in 1.0 inning of work. B. Lubrano picked up the win for St. Joseph's with 5.1 shutout innings that featured five strikeouts.
 
(5) Mount Saint Mary 7 – (6) USMMA 4
The Knights rebounded to stay alive in the championship in the night cap, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first frame to take the lead for good in the contest. With two outs in their first at-bat, Tom Huvane (Eastchester, N.Y.) belted a two-run home run to give the Knights a 2-1 advantage.
 
The lead grew to 3-1 in the third on an RBI double from Introcaso and jumped to 5-1 in the fourth following run scoring singles from Kozireski and Joey Pugliese (Highland, N.Y.) that pushed home Vincenzo Pepe (Middletown, N.Y.) and Santana.
 
After the Mariners got back on the board in the top of the fifth to cut the Mount lead to 5-2, the Knights put two more runs on the board in the home half of the inning to spread the lead to 7-2. Pepe and Santana both drew run scoring walks in the frame to pad the lead.
 
USMMA mounted a rally in the seventh with a pair of runs, but put just one other runner on in their final two at-bats.
 
Introcaso finished the win 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, with Santana going 2-for-3 with a run and RBI. Nick Rizzo (Smithtown, N.Y.) picked up a hit and stole two bases with Huvane, Kozireski and Pugliesi all finishing with a hit and at least one RBI.
 
Santana picked up the win on the mound with 7.0 effective innings as he moved to 2-2 on the season. He allowed two earned runs on six hits and struck out nine Mariners. Stephan Sookdeo (Carmel, N.Y.) recorded the save with 2.0 shutout innings that featured four strikeouts.
 
At 14-27 overall on the season, Mount Saint Mary will be back in action again on Sunday when it takes on the loser of the St. Joseph's-L.I. and Maritime contest. First pitch for the Knights is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.