PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (March 13, 2024) – Junior Zachary Boykin was one of three players to record a multi-hit game as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team defeated the United States Merchant Marine Academy 8-3 Wednesday in a non-conference game at Centennial Park. The neutral-site contest was played as part of the Snowbird Baseball Classic.

First-year Garret Wolf also had two and classmate Luke Mahala connected for his first career homer for the Ducks, who snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 7-5. Stevens has won the last nine games in the all-time series, although Wednesday's meeting was the first between the teams since 2007.

Landon Troutt reached base three times and scored a run and Christian Gamez had two hits and an RBI for the Mariners, who dropped their second straight in falling to 2-6. 

Junior Matt Villapiano (1-0) fired 1 2-3 scoreless innings to earn the victory. The left-hander was the first of three relievers to combine for 3 2-3 scoreless frames to close out the victory. Villapiano, who struck out three of the five batters he faced, has won one game at of the pen in each of his first three seasons in Hoboken. 

Tommy Chiapetti (0-1) took the loss for Merchant Marine. The left-hander allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits across six innings. The Ducks tacked on three runs late in the game as they took advantage of three Merchant Marine errors, including a two-run error in the seventh that broke the game open.

The Rundown

• Stevens was again able to get on the board early, with Boykin, who was on with a one-out single, scampered home in the first inning on a passed ball for the run of the game. 
• One batter later, another pitch skipped by Merchant Marine catcher Garrett Clapsaddle to score senior Christian Kreiser.
• Merchant Marine evened the score in the third on an RBI triple by Tyler Reistetter, who then came around to score on Clapsaddle's sacrifice fly.
• The Ducks jumped back in front for good in the fourth. Junior Liam DeRubertis walked and two batters later, Mahala drove Chiapetti's offering well beyond the left-field fence for the first longball of his collegiate career. 
• Boykin scored an insurance run in the fifth. After working a one-out walk, Wolf also walked to bring Kreiser up to the plate. The Ducks' slugger connected for an opposite-field single and Boykin, who attempted to score from second on the play, was ruled safe at the plate because of obstruction by Clapsaddle.
• First-year Chip Krese scored on a fielding error in the seventh and Wolf scored on one in the ninth to account for the Ducks' seventh and eighth runs.
• Gamez had an RBI single in the sixth to produce the final margin of victory.

Top Performers

• Boykin, Wolf and Mahala each finished with two hits.
• Graduate student Ben Tobio threw out a pair of runners attempting to steal.
• Sophomore Erik Sibbach fired a scoreless inning, marking his fourth appearance without an earned run.
• Stevens pitchers struck out 12 batters, marking the sixth time in 12 games that the Ducks have reached double figures in punchouts. 

For the Opponents

• Gamez was one of three Mariners with two hits. Although only one of the team's eight hits on the day went for extra bases.

Around the MAC Freedom 
Oswego 9, No. 23 Arcadia 8
Wilson @ Delaware Valley – 3:00 p.m. first pitch
Stevenson @ Lebanon Valley – 3:00 p.m. first pitch
Penn State-Hazelton @ King's – 4:00 p.m. first pitch
DeSales @ Wilkes – canceled

Up Next

• Stevens resumes MAC Freedom play on Saturday, Mar. 16 in Annville, Pennsylvania to take on Lebanon Valley to close out a three-game series. The first two games were contested during the spring break trip, with the Dutchmen claiming both. This will be the first meeting between the squads in the Keystone State. Appropriate game links will be posted to StevensDucks.com 

Athletic Department Social Media
Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
X (Formerly Twitter): @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks

Baseball Social Media
Facebook: "Like" Stevens Ducks Baseball
X (Formerly Twitter): @baseballstevens
Instagram: @stevensbaseball

#AllRise