Saint Anselm Takes Pitcher's Duel from Baseball, 2-1
Links: Box Score
HAVERHILL, Mass. – The Merrimack College baseball team could not muster enough runs to support sophomore starter PJ Browne (Rutland, Mass.), who allowed one earned run in 8.1 innings, as the Warriors lost their Northeast Division opener, 2-1, to the Saint Anselm Hawks from Trinity Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Basics
Score: Saint Anselm 2, Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (11-8, 0-1 NE Div.) | Saint Anselm (4-13, 1-1 NE Div.)
Location: Trinity Stadium | Haverhill, Mass.
How It Happened
Browne started the series opener coming off his Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Week selection. Last season as a rookie, Browne struck out 11 Hawks in a seven-inning victory. Through three innings, Browne punched out four Saint Anselm hitters, but surrendered one run in the second, as the visitors took a 1-0 advantage into the fourth frame.
In the bottom of that inning, the Warriors got their first two runners on in Cam DiSarcina (Shirley, Mass.) and Sean O'Neill (Norwood, Mass.), but could not advance them any further. Browne kept the Warriors in it though as he held the Hawks off the board through seven innings, striking out seven in that span.
Saint Anselm starter Tom Hudon matched the Warriors' southpaw pitch-for-pitch. In the bottom of the seventh, Hudon got help from his defense. With Matt Brown (Belmont, Mass.) on third with two outs, Chris Cimmino (Orange, Conn.) slapped a grounder to first that appeared to be a hit. The Hawks' first baseman, however, dove to his right, snagged the ball and flipped to Hudon to get out of the inning.
The Warriors finally pushed a run across in the eighth. Freshman Matthew Ronai (Orange, Conn.) led the inning off with bloop single and reached third on a base knock from Mike Forgione (North Branford, Conn.). Merrimack then executed a safety squeeze, with senior Bobby Losanno (Peabody, Mass.) laid a bunt down the third-base line as Ronai broke for home, allowing the rookie to score.
The Hawks took the lead for good in the ninth. Two singles and a sacrifice bunt set up a first-and-third situation that spelled the end to Browne's day. Junior Nate Spielvogel (Brookline, Mass.) came out of the bullpen, but a wild pitch allowed the game-winning run to score. Spielvogel struck out the only two batters he faced. The Warriors put two runners on in the bottom half, but the rally ended there as the Hawks took the series opener.
Inside The Numbers
- Browne's final line (L): 8.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K's
- Browne now has 22 strikeouts over his last two appearance (15.1 IP) and ranks in a tie for second in the conference in punch outs, one behind the league leader
- Ronai was the lone Warrior with a multi-hit day. His average is now up to .350 in his inaugural season with the Warriors, totaling seven hits in 20 at-bats over nine games
- DiSarcina made his first appearance of the season at second base, a position he manned most of last season. Ronai made his first career start at third
Up Next
The series concludes on Monday with a doubleheader, at the Warrior Baseball Diamond, beginning at 12 p.m.
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