PURCHASE, N.Y. - The Purchase College baseball team earned a doubleheader split against the United States Merchant Marine Academy Saturday afternoon, taking the first contest and falling in the second.

Scores for the games were 5-4 and 21-6.

With the split, the Panthers now sit at 13-15 overall and 5-5 in Skyline Conference matchups. For the Mariners, they are now 16-11 and 5-5, respectively.

Game One: Purchase 5, USMMA 4 (7 inn)

The Blue and Orange jumped out to a quick start on the day thanks to Joe Salerno (SO/White Plains, NY), as he smacked a three-run homer in the opening inning to put Purchase ahead early.

Later in the inning, an error allowed another run to score, as the Panthers led 4-0 after one.

The Mariners then answered with a two-run home run in the second frame, before an RBI-groundout in the fifth trimmed the lead to just a single run, 4-3.

One inning later, Frank Rega (FR/West Islip, NY) played the role of hero for the Panthers as he slapped an RBI-single to extend the margin to 5-3.

From there, the guests managed another run in seventh inning and had a man in scoring position, before Purchase ace Myles Scarry (JR/Levittown, NY) struckout the final batter to seal the victory.

Scarry tossed a seven-inning complete game on the day, tying his career high in strikeouts with 10 and allowing just three earned runs on six hits.

At the plate, Salerno led the way with the home run, a double, three RBIs and a run.

Game Two: USMMA 21, Purchase 6 (7 inn)

While the opening game was more of a pitching affair, game two saw offense early and often between the two teams.

For the second-straight contest, the Panthers hit a three-run homer in the first inning as Patrick Reyes (FR/Plainedge, NY) provided the fireworks this time around.

The lead was short lived though, as the guests scored four runs in the second, including two off a home run to take the lead.

Trevor Zanderzuk (JR/Manorville, NY) and Purchase then responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI-single, tying the contest up at 4-4.

USMMA answered in the third inning with its second of four home runs on the day, pushing the squad back in front, 5-4. 

From there, the Mariners started to pile on, scoring three runs in the fourth, eight in the fifth and five more in the seventh to cruise to the win.

For Purchase, Zanderzuk hit an RBI-triple in the fourth inning, while Matt Castrogiovanni (FR/Masspequa Park, NY) crushed a solo blast to right field in the sixth to finish off the scoring.

At the plate, Zanderzuk finished with a team-high three hits, while Castrogiovanni tallied two hits.

On the mound, Ryan Castrataro (SR/Mahopac, NY) received the loss after allowing eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings. 

Up next for the Panthers is more home Skyline Conference action, as the team welcomes St. Joseph's University-Brooklyn tomorrow (4/23) for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.