LI college notebook: Bruinsma stars for Maritime
Freshman pitcher Travis Bruinsma, from Connetquot High School, has pitched to a 5-0 record with a 2.03 ERA for Maritime this season. Credit: Cynthia DiLeo
Travis Bruinsma didn’t touch a baseball at Suffolk County Community College because he had other plans.
After sitting out the 2016 season, the 2015 Connetquot graduate from Ronkonkoma was accepted at SUNY Maritime — his first choice out of high school — and he has dominated early, winning three Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week awards en route to a 5-0 record with a 2.03 ERA in his first five outings, a total of 31 innings.
Bruinsma believes his demeanor on the mound has helped him succeed quickly at the college level.
“I think I have a different mentality when I pitch compared to other people,” said Bruinsma, who majors in marine transportation. “I don’t let things get to me. I don’t let baseball get to me.”
In his last outing April 2, Bruinsma allowed four hits and two runs (one earned) in seven innings of a 13-2 win over Merchant Marine. Maritime (14-7, 8-0) is first in the conference.
“I just feel when I’m on the mound I have so much power in the game,” said Bruinsma, who won 13 games and a Long Island championship as a senior at Connetquot. “I just have that mentality of not losing.”
Konkel’s fast start
Adelphi’s Kailah Konkel (Eastport-South Manor) went 5-for-9 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs in three games to earn Northeast 10 softball co-Rookie of the Week honors.
LIers bolster Penn State
Penn State men’s lacrosse is ranked No. 1 in the nation, largely due to a strong core of Long Islanders. Syosset freshman attack Mac O’Keefe (38 goals), one of the top goal scorers in the nation, had three in a 15-11 loss at Maryland yesterday.
St. James freshman Gerard Arceri has won 66 percent (160-for-243) of his faceoffs to get the attack started. West Islip senior attack Nick Aponte ranks third on Penn State (10-1) in points (37) with 16 goals and 21 assists.
Mazliah on a roll
Junior attack Jessica Mazliah (Holbrook) has led No. 12 New Haven women’s lacrosse to an 8-1 record with 39 points (19 goals, 23 assists), including two goals and three assists in a 17-4 conference victory over American International Tuesday.
Manhasset connection
The chemistry between Bucknell seniors Christina Manis and Maddy Molinari has transferred from Manhasset.
Manis leads the Patriot League with 30 assists and holds the program record with 89 assists. Molinari leads the team with 30 goals this season.
SBU dominates diamond
Stony Brook’s baseball team took two of three from Albany yesterday to improve to 4-2 in the America East. Freshman Greg Marino (Centereach) gave up a run in six innings with eight strikeouts in a 7-1 win April 2.
The softball team defeated Albany, 5-2 and 7-5, on the road April 2 to open conference play. In the first game, freshman Melissa Rahrich gave up two runs in a complete game, closed out the second game with three shutout innings for the save, and went 5-for-7.
