Purchase Baseball Celebrates Senior Day Sunday

By Nolan Locke

On Sunday, April 13, the Purchase Panthers took on the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) as they celebrated Senior Day, but ultimately dropped both games in their doubleheader.

A post-game lunch was set up to celebrate seniors. (Photo by Nolan Locke)

Before the first pitch, the Panthers held a ceremony to honor their graduating seniors. Matthew Dragotto, Myles Scarry, Elian Herrera, Sam Saltzman, Matthew Ramos, Mason Compton, Joe Salerno, Matthew Deall and Justin Lorenzo all took the field to receive recognition for their contributions to the program.

Following the ceremony, the focus quickly shifted to game one against USMMA. Junior Brandon Reybok took the mound for the Panthers and pitched a complete game, allowing only two earned runs.

“I felt pretty good today,” said Reybok. “I held them to two earned runs, but I still got to make better pitches; they had 12 hits at the end of the day, and that's on me.”

However, Reybok's strong outing wasn’t enough to earn him the win. A pair of fielding errors led to four unearned runs for USMMA, ultimately proving to be the difference.

“I thought Brandon did a very nice job,” said head coach Adam Taraska. “The scoreboard didn’t indicate the job I thought he did on the mound.”

Taraska also praised Reybok’s poise under pressure.

“There are always going to be things that go wrong,” he said. “And you’ve got to figure out a way to get the job done and do your best to help the team win. Brandon has definitely done a good job of that.”

Brandon Reybok pitching from the stretch. (Photo by Nolan Locke)

Offensively, senior Sam Saltzman and freshman Evan Biener stood out. Saltzman went 1-for-2 with a triple, while Biener went 2-for-3 with a run batted in double.

But that was all for Purchase at the plate, as the Panthers fell to USMMA, 6-2, in the opener.

Game two brought more of the same for the Panthers, as they fell to the USMMA by a four-run deficit, dropping the contest 10–6.

“They kind of smoked us a little bit,” said Reybok. “But you know, it’s alright—we just gotta get back out there.”

Despite the loss, the Panthers' offense showed signs of life. Senior Sam Saltzman had a strong day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the second inning and a walk. Fellow senior Myles Scarry displayed solid plate discipline, drawing two walks that later turned into runs.

Freshman Julian Diaz at the plate (Photo by Nolan Locke)

Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to close the gap, but the afternoon’s focus was on honoring the team's seniors.

“Senior Day is always a special day,” said head coach Taraska. “We recognize the sacrifices and commitment our players make. It’s not easy being a student-athlete. These guys have been here for a while, and we’re really a big family. It’s nice to give them the recognition they deserve for being a part of this program.”

For graduating senior Scarry, the moment was meaningful.

“It’s always good to share a reminder—playing with the guys you grew up with over the years,” he said. “It’s just nice seeing everyone get out there and do a job.”

The Panthers will aim to bounce back on April 19 as they take on Old Westbury.