Baseball Drops Doubleheader at Adelphi
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The Merrimack baseball team suffered a pair of losses in Northeast-10 action to Adelphi Saturday afternoon. The Warriors fell 5-1 and 2-1 to sink to 7-11 overall and 0-6 in league action. The Panthers improved to 16-7-1 on the year and 5-2 in conference games with the sweep.
Mark O'Flynn (Ipswich, Mass.) drove in Merrimack's lone run in game one, lifting the visitors to a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth. Joe Santos (Ashland, Mass.) started the inning with a walk followed by a hit by pitch to PJ Farnham (Andover, Mass.). The runners moved into scoring position on a bunt by Beau Batchelor (Peabody, Mass.). O'Flynn plated Santos with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Adelphi knotted the score at 1-1 in the home half of the sixth. The Panthers pushed four runs across the plate in the bottom of the eighth to claim the victory.
Joe Mantoni (Hopedale, Mass.) tossed seven and a third innings for the Warriors and allowed four runs while striking out six batters.
In game two, Adelphi grabbed a quick 1-0 advantage with a run in the second inning on a home run by William Miller.
Merrimack tied the game at 1-1 in the eighth frame. Paul Manganiello (Levittown, N.Y.) led off the inning with a single to centerfield. Eddie Newton (North Billerica, Mass.) scored Manganiello with a one-out single to center.
At the end of nine innings, the Warriors and Panthers were even at 1-1.
In the 11th inning, Adelphi loaded the bases and scored the game-winning run with a single by Craig Matteo to right field.
Tim Curran (South Weymouth, Mass.) and Mantoni each finished with two hits on the day for Merrimack.
On the mound, Mike Laracy (Weymouth, Mass.) went nine innings with eight batters fanned. The sophomore southpaw scattered five hits and one walk while allowing one run.
The Warriors will host Franklin Pierce in a Northeast-10 Conference tilt Tuesday, April 5.
