Buccaneers/Vikings Split Doubleheader

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- Brahiam Ortega had a home run and a double as Salem State scored four times in the eighth inning to pull away for a 9-5 victory over Mass Maritime in game one of their MASCAC doubleheader. The Buccaneers held on for a 1-0 victory in game two as starting pitchers Hunter Dean and Jack Sefrino squared off in a pitchers duel. The Vikings are now 8-26 on the year and 5-13 in the MASCAC. Mass Maritime is now 19-16 and 9-9 in conference.

GAME ONE

• Frank Aten and Chris Perito each had two hits in the game.
• Zach Sylvia, Michael Logiudice, Brett Velzis, and Aidan Henderson each recorded one hit.
• Velzis and Aten each had a double in the loss.
• Sylvia and Logiudice both drove in two runs, Perito drove in one.
• Aten and Perito scored twice, AJ Pietrafesa scored once.
• Perito stole a base in the game.

Salem

• Jake Boucher, Brahiam Ortega, Edward Field, and TJ Beninati all had two-hit games for the Vikings.
• Owen Duggan, Derek Angell, Conor Dolan, and James Dolan each added one hit. 
• Ortega had a home run and a double, Beninati hit a triple, and J. Dolan had a double to round out the Vikes extra base hits.
• Boucher, Ortega, Field, Chris Simone, C. Dolan, J. Dolan and Bobby Jellison all had an RBI in the win.
• Ortega and Field each scored twice, Aidan Lynch, Beninati, Angell, and both Dolan's scored once.

After a scoreless first inning, the Vikings broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second taking a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Bucs tied the game on a Perito single that scored Aten. Logiudice gave the Bucs a 2-1 lead on a single of his own that brought in Perito to score. The Bucs led 2-1 after one inning of play. 

The third inning was scoreless and in the fourth, Ortega hit a home run to left center to tie the game at 2-2.

The fifth inning was scoreless and in the sixth Salem retook the lead on a Field single and a Simone sacrifice fly with three runs coming in total to give the Vikings a 5-2 advantage. In the bottom of the sixth Sylvia singled up the middle to drive in two runs and pull the Bucs within one run, 5-4. Logiudice reached on a fielder's choice and scored Perito from third to tie the game at 5-5.

The seventh was also scoreless making each odd inning in the game scoreless and the teams went to extra innings tied at 5-5. In the top of the eighth, Salem scored four runs to break the game open as Conor Dolan - RBI single and James Dolan - RBI double contributed to the rally allowing the Vikings to take a 9-5 lead. The Bucs were unable to bring in any runs in the bottom of the eighth and the Vikings won the first game, 9-5. to tie the series at 1-1.

Salem: Jake Boucher (W, 2-1): 2.2 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 4 K

Brock Pare: 5 IP | 5 H | 3 R | 3 ER | 5 BB | 9 K

Maritime: Nick Iannone (L, 0-1): 2 IP | 5 H | 4 R | 4 ER | 0 BB | 1 K

Brodey Tinkham: 5 IP | 6 H | 5 R | 4 ER | 1 BB | 5 K

Game Two

Maritime

• Zach Sylvia and Brett Velzis recorded the two hits for the Bucs in the game with Velzis's hit coming in the form of a triple.
• John Tropea drove in the only run on a sacrifice fly. 
• Velzis scored the lone run.

Salem

• Edward Field and Connor Dolan recorded the only two hits in the game for the Vikings.

A Pitcher's duel between Dean and Sefrino with just four hits total was decided by a single by Tropea in the bottom of the fourth that scored Velzis to secure the 1-0 win for the Bucs and a place in the MASCAC playoffs that begin next week.

On The Mound

Maritime: Hunter Dean (W, 4-2): 7 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 4 K

Salem: Jack Sefrino (L, 0-4): 6 IP | 2 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 1 BB | 1 K

(Mass Maritime Sports Information)