A seven-hit, nine-run fifth inning helped lift the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team over Lehman College, Tuesday afternoon, March 23, in a Mariners 11-4, home-opener victory at Lower Roosevelt Field. The victory was the Mariners' first win of the year.

The visiting Lightning (0-1) sent in three runs in just as many innings, taking a 3-0 lead after three innings. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that the Mariners touched home plate. Sophomore centerfielder Adam Vanden Boogaard (Longmont, Colo./Longmont) reached second on a one-out looper to centerfield. Sophomore Dustin Hoffman (West Milton, Pa./Lewisburg Area) brought his teammate home with an RBI single to centerfield, closing the gap to 3-1.

Lehman's fourth run came in the top of the fifth when Ferdi German stole third, then reached home on a throwing error.

The Mariners took over the contest in their own half of the fifth, scoring nine runs off seven hits. With John McCarthy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) on first, junior catcher Roberto Herrera (Kingsville, Texas/H.M. King) reached second on a no-out double to left centerfield. Sophomore second baseman Alex DePalo (Huntington Station, N.Y./St. Anthony's) hit a single to right-center, advancing Herrera to third and McCarthy home, and closing the margin to 4-2. Junior shortstop Harlow Wood (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap) sent home the tying run after singling to right field. With runners on second and third, Vanden Boogaard hit a centerfield double, sending in teammates Wood and Alfred Giordano (Landenberg, Pa./Salesianum (Del.)) for the go-ahead run and increasing the Mariners' lead to 6-4. Sophomore Kellan Lancaster (Bakersfield, Calif./Eagle) singled through the right side, sending yet another Mariner home, and increasing the gap to 7-4. In the process, the first eight batters reached base before chasing out Lehman's starting pitcher. After the change, the Blue and Gray continued to manufacture runs, touching home plate three more times in a huge inning.

Freshman Nick Oliva (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) earned his first win of the year (1-2), pitching 2.0 innings, facing eight batters, and striking out two.

Head coach Dennis Gagnon's Mariners next headed to Drew University, Thursday, March 25.