Baseball Sweeps Season-Opening Doubleheader vs. Felician from Myrtle Beach
Links: Box Score (G1) | Box Score (G2)
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – A 12-run onslaught from the Warriors offense followed by an eight-inning victory from sophomore southpaw PJ Browne (Rutland, Mass.) headlined the day as the Merrimack College baseball team swept Felician University in its season-opening doubleheader at the Ripken Experience on Friday from Myrtle Beach.
The Basics
Score (G1): Merrimack 12, Felician 4
Score (G2): Merrimack 3, Felician 2
Records: Merrimack (2-0) | Felician (2-5)
Location: Ripken Experience | Myrtle Beach, S.C.
What They Said
Head coach Nick Barese: "I was really proud of the effort we got from PJ and Perry, and today showed our lineup is capable of producing runs in different situations over the course of a game. Felician is a well-coached team, and every regional win is important."
How It Happened (G1)
It didn't take long for a Warriors offense that returned eight of nine starters from last season to get the bats going, scoring four runs in the top of the first against the Golden Knights.
With the bases loaded, cleanup hitter Sean O'Neill (Norwood, Mass.) hit a grounder to second that was thrown away by the second baseman, allowing Mike Forgione (North Branford, Conn.) and Tyler Lyne (Agawam, Mass.) to score. Then, sophomore Matt Nicholson (Rockland, Mass.) plated O'Neill and Cam DiSarcina (Shirley, Mass.) with a two-run double as the top of the first ended with a 4-0 Merrimack lead.
O'Neill stepped to the plate again with the bases loaded in the top of the second, scoring all three runners on a triple to right-center field. Forgione, Lyne and DiSarcina all scored on the play.
Junior Perry Kulaga (Lincroft, N.J.) toed the rubber on Opening Day, battling through five scoreless innings to start the game. He allowed one run in the sixth, but got through the remainder of the inning unscathed. He allowed one run on five hits while striking out four batters.
A five-run seventh blew the game open for the Navy and Gold. The Golden Knights added three runs in the bottom of the eighth, but the scoring ended there. Freshman Cam Monagle (Cambridge, Mass.) made his Warriors debut by striking out the ninth to cap off the 12-4 season-opening victory.
How It Happened (G2)
Browne took the ball in second game, starting in his first contest as a sophomore after all eight of his appearances came out of the rotation last season. Just like Merrimack did in the first game, the Golden Knights jumped on the board after the top of the first on a run-scoring single.
Felician tacked on a second run in the top of fourth, but the Warriors answered in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on second and third, Paul Buckley (Sacamore Beach, Mass.) hit a single up that middle that scored Ryan Petrone (Leicester, Mass.) and moved Ricky Smith (Weymouth, Mass.) to third. Forgione then stepped into the box and recorded a RBI on a fielder's choice, scoring Smith to tie the game at 2.
The sixth and seven innings went by scoreless for both squads. Browne worked a one-two-three top of the eighth, retiring seven straight at that point, to bring on the bottom of the frame.
Forgione started with a walk and then stole second. Lyne followed suit with a walk and DiSarcina reached first on a fielder's choice, eliminating Forgione at third. O'Neill loaded the bases with a single, and senior Bobby Losanno (Peabody, Mass.) brought home Lyne with the go-ahead sacrifice fly.
Junior Nate Spielvogel (Brookline, Mass.) came out of the bullpen for his first save opportunity of 2016. After giving up a leadoff single and allowing the game-tying run to reach third base with only one out, the righty struck the final two batters of the game to silence the Golden Knights' comeback bid.
Inside The Numbers
- After being snake bitten last season with seven no decisions and no victories despite a 3.18 ERA, Kulaga picked up his first win in his first start of the year. He snapped a 16-start streak between wins, as the Felician victory marked his second career win.
- Browne shined in the second game, finishing strong by getting seven straight batters to end his first start. He finished with eight strikeouts and now has totaled eight K's in three straight starts dating back to the end of last season
- Four players ended the day with multiple hits, including Nicholson, who started the first game in right field before serving as the designated hitter in the second. He totaled three hits, two doubles and knocked in two runs
- O'Neill started off his final season with a team-leading four hits over 10 at-bats. He knocked in four runs, the most on the team, and scored a pair of runs
- Freshmen Anthony Garbarino (Ossining, N.Y.), Armani Henderson (Johnston, R.I.), Monagle, Matthew Ronai (Orange, Conn.) and Cory Wasylow (Taunton, Mass.) all made their career debuts for the Warriors
Up Next
The Warriors continue play at the Ripken Experience tomorrow with another doubleheader, taking on Mercy at 10 a.m. followed by a meeting with Dominican (N.Y.) at 1 p.m.
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