The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy baseball team dropped the first game of a Skyline Conference opener and doubleheader versus Manhattanville College, Saturday afternoon, March 27, in a 3-2, extra-innings contest, while in game two, falling victims to a tough Valiants pitching force, losing, 2-1.

Both teams struggled to produce runs during the first five innings, but Manhattanville found its way onto the scoreboard first, when Valiants' Dave McCorison hit a sixth-inning double into right field, sending in the host's first batter, 1-0.

The Mariners fought back in the top of the seventh producing two RBI singles by senior Alfred Giordano (Landenberg, PA./Salesianum (DE) and sophomore Adam Vanden Boogaard (Longmont, CO/Longmont), to put the Mariners up 2-1. Vanden Boogaard hit 2-for-4 on the afternoon with one run and an RBI, while Giordano hit 2-for-3 with one RBI. Also helping the Mariners was junior shortstop Harlow Wood (Poulsbo, WA/North Kitsap) as he went 2-for-4 at the plate.

In the bottom half of the same inning, Valiants' John Previti singled with one out, stole second base, then advanced to third on a fielder's choice. Teammate Michael Sabatello hit an RBI single, sending in Previti for the tying run, 2-2, and extending the contest into extra innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Valiants' Mark Barrar stole third, and after an off throw, touched home plate for the winning run.

In game two of the Skyline Conference clash, the Mariners went up against a sharp-armed Previti as he pitched seven innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 10 batters.

The Valiants took an early lead in the first when Manhattanville's McCorison hit an RBI single to put the Mariners up 1-0.

Kings Point came back in the top of the third when the Mariner's John McCarthy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) touched home plate after a wild pitch by Previti, tying the contest 1-1.

Manhattanville's Dan Manfrates hit an RBI single late in the fifth inning, giving the Valiants the go-ahead run, en route to a 2-1 victory.

The Mariners (1-9, 0-2 Skyline) lose their first two conference matches with the defeat. The Valiants' (8-6, 3-0 Skyline) are victorious in six of the last seven contests.

Head coach Dennis Gagnon and the Mariners are next slated for a doubleheader at Hoboken, N.J. in a Skyline Conference clash against Stevens.