BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- The Buccaneers played on Wednesday against Anna Maria coming off of a win on Tuesday over Gordon. The Buccaneers led much of the game against the AMCATS but couldn't hold off their guests late in the ball game, losing by a 7-6 final.

The Basics

Final: AMCATS 7, Buccaneers 6

Records: Anna Maria 10-5

               Maritime 5-7

On the Mound

Maritime: Aaron Cole (L, 0-1): 1 IP | 4 H | 3 R | 3 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

                Ben Zchau: 5 IP | 1 H | 2 R | 1 ER | 4 BB | 3 K

Anna Maria: Sean Christiansen (W, 2-0): 1.1 IP | 1 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 2 BB | 1 K

                    Jesse Buonocore (Sv, 2): 2 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 0 BB | 3 K

Inside The Numbers

Maritime

• AJ Pietrafesa went 3-for-4 at the plate in the loss. Colsen Loughren added two hits off the bench. Aaron Cole, Evan Vieira, Brett Velzis, Costa Beechin, and Damon White all had one hit.
• Loughren drove in two runs in the game. Cole, Vieira, Velzis, and Michael Estrada each had an RBI.
• Aidan Weir scored twice in the game and Cole, Pietrafesa, Estrada, and White scored once.
• Vieira, Velzis, and White all had doubles in the loss.
• Weir stole two bags and Vieira picked up one stolen base. 

Anna Maria

• Justin Chiulli, Josh Batchelder, and Avery Acuna all had two-hit games. Jeremy Rosenberg added one hit. 
• Acuna drove in three runs in the win. Batchelder drove in two and Alec Rich had one RBI.
• Batchelder scored three times and four other AMCATS scored once.
• Batchelder and Acuna had doubles for AMC.
• Batchelder stole the only base for Anna Maria.

How It Happened

The Buccaneers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first scoring their first run of the game on a Velzis sacrifice fly. With the RBI, Velzis becomes the Buccaneers baseball all-time RBI leader with 118. 

In the top of the second, Anna Maria got the run back when Batchelder scored on a bases-loaded double play. At the end of two, the score was tied, 1-1.

Maritime retook the lead in the bottom of the third on a bases-loaded ground out by Estrada that allowed Pietrafesa to score from third. Maritime led 2-1 after three.

In the top of the fourth, the AMCATS tied the game again, this time at 2-2. Rich grounded into a fielder's choice and Batchelder scored. In the bottom of the frame, the Buccaneers took their third lead of the game when Cole singled on the infield and Weir scored. Maritime was up 3-2 after four innings.

After a scoreless fifth, the Bucs extended their lead to two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Vieira hit a ground-rule double down the right field line and Weir came in to score to make it 4-2 Buccaneers. 

Anna Maria cut the lead back to one in the top of the seventh on an Acuna double to score Rich. In the bottom of the seventh, Loughren singled through the left side and brought in Estrada to score opening the lead back to two runs, 5-3.

The AMCATS bats came alive in the top of the eighth and they scored three runs to take a 6-5 lead, their first lead of the game. 

In the top of the ninth, Anna Maria added an insurance run on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded. AMC led the Bucs, 7-5, heading to the bottom of the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, Maritime scored a run and threatened for more. Loughren singled to drive in another run with White scoring. The AMCATS went on to strike out the next two hitters and keep the Bucs from coming back. Anna Maria took a win back to Paxton, 7-6.

What's Next

The Bucs are home again on Saturday to take on Thomas College in a doubleheader beginning at 1pm.