Baseball Earns Split on Opening Day
FLEMINGTON, N.J. – The Merrimack baseball team earned a win and suffered a loss on the first day of the 2011 season. In Jim Martin's managerial debut, the Warriors defeated Nyack 20-6 to kick off the year and fell to No. 19 Southern Connecticut 9-4 at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J.
Merrimack pushed three runs across to open the game against Nyack. Brett Julian (Weymouth, Mass.) smacked a triple and scored on a double by Tim Curran (South Weymouth, Mass.) for the first run of the year.
The Warriors scored twice in the third inning, once in the fourth and posted a three-run fifth to claim a 9-1 lead on Nyack. The opposing Warriors got four runs back in the sixth inning to cut Merrimack's lead to 9-5.
Merrimack answered with seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend its lead to 16-5. The Warriors held on to pick up their first win of the season.
Merrimack recorded 19 hits in the game, led by a 5-for-7 performance by Mark O'Flynn (Ipswich, Mass.). O'Flynn drove in three runs and crossed the plate twice while also swiping a base. Joe Mantoni (Hopedale, Mass.) went 3-for-4 from the plate with three runs scored. Joe Santos (Ashland, Mass.) and Curran each finished with two hits in the game. Beau Batchelor (Peabody, Mass.) registered three RBIs in the contest.
On the mound, Keith Johansen (Tyngsborough, Mass.) earned the win for the Warriors, going five-plus innings and issuing six strikeouts and two walks on the day while allowing four earned runs. Alek Morency (Nashua, N.H.) pitched one inning and struck out two batters. Bill Humphrey (South Easton, Mass.) closed out the game with a three-inning performance.
In the nightcap, the Warriors dropped a 9-4 decision to Southern Connecticut State.
Merrimack fell behind 7-0 to the Owls but a rally drew the score to 8-4 late in the game. The Warriors stranded eight runners in scoring position in the game.
O'Flynn and Curran each hit safely twice in the contest. Curran drove in a pair of runs and O'Flynn recorded one RBI in the loss.
Mike Laracy (Weymouth, Mass.) pitched four innings for Merrimack and fanned four batters. Travis Terrill (Hudson, N.H.) went three innings on the hill and struck out three. Chris Pinette (Norwood, Mass.) finished the game on the mound and registered a strikeout.
"I felt that it was a good first day of the year. We played really well throughout the first game but we came out a little slow in the second game. I was pleased with the way we fought back against Southern Connecticut. Many players turned in excellent performances today," said Martin.
The Warriors will meet the Owls for a doubleheader March 6 at Diamond Nation.
