Schindler Fans 11 as Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Saint Michael's Saturday
Links: Box Score (G1) | Box Score (G2)
COLCHESTER, Vt. – Senior lefthander Zach Schindler (Halifax, Mass.) struck out a career-high 11 Saint Michael's College Purple Knights en route to his team-leading fifth victory of the year as the Merrimack College baseball team won the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, 8-2. The Purple Knights took the second contest as the squads split the twin bill at Doc Jacobs Field.
The Basics
Score (G1): Merrimack 8, Saint Michael's 2
Score (G2): Saint Michael's 4, Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (21-11, 5-2 NE Div.) | Saint Michael's (2-16, 1-7 NE Div.)
Location: Doc Jacobs Field | Colchester, Vt.
How It Happened (G1)
Schindler looked to become the first Warriors pitcher to five wins when he toed the rubber against the Purple Knights. The senior struck out three batters over the first two innings, allowing only one baserunner entering the top of the third.
Merrimack's offense supported their starter with a four-run frame. The first five batters of the inning reached and accounted for the scoring. A throwing error allowed the Warriors' first run to score and put Bobby Losanno (Peabody, Mass.) and Mike Forgione (North Branford, Conn.) in scoring position. Junior Tyler Lyne (Agawam, Mass.) knocked in Losanno and advanced Forgione to third with a single. Both runner came home during the next at-bat, as Cam DiSarcina (Shirley, Mass.) hit a triple to right-center field.
Schindler stuck out five batters over his final two innings of work, leaving the game after 11 punch outs and 113 pitches thrown. Merrimack's 4-0 lead at the time of his departure left him in line for the victory.
The Warriors tacked on one run in the seventh before more runs came across in the eighth. Sophomore Matt Nicholson (Rockland, Mass.) doubled and Pat Florence (Lowell, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice to put two runners on for Losanno. The Warriors' No. 9 hitter stroked a three-run homer to right field for his second round-tripper on the year.
Junior Matt DiNello (Southington, Conn.) pitched the final three innings of relief for the Warriors, as they took a 8-2 decision to open the series.
How It Happened (G1)
Sophomore Anthony Lupi (Dover, N.H.) got the ball for the visitors, opposed by Peter Cross for the Purple Knights. The first three frames went by without any runs before a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth staked Saint Michael's to a 1-0 advantage.
The bottom of Merrimack's order got the run back in the sixth. Freshman Matthew Ronai (Orange, Conn.) worked a two-out walk, stole second and was singled home by sophomore catcher Ricky Smith (Weymouth, Mass.). Losanno reached base on a single and stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but the inning ended without further damage.
In the bottom half, the first two batters reached base off Lupi, who followed that up with a strikeout and foul out to move within one out of ending the frame. The fifth batter of the inning, however, hit a three-run homer to right field, making it a 4-1 game in favor of the Purple Knights.
Merrimack got one run back in the ninth on a run-scoring single from DiSarcina, and put the tying run on base, but the Purple Knights induced a groundout to the pitcher to end the game.
Inside The Numbers
- Schindler's final line (W, 5-1): 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
- Ten of the 11 strikeouts for Merrimack's southpaw were of the swinging variety and also established a new career high. He now has 44 strikeouts on the year, 21 more than his previous personal best, set last season
- Lupi's final line (L, 1-3): 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (career high)
- Losanno stays hot: Merrimack's centerfielder totaled four hits on the day, including his second homer of the year in the first contest. He currently boasts a seven-game hitting streak, going 17-of-28 (.607) during that span, posting five multi-hit games
- Freshman Daniel Amidon (Andover, Mass.) tossed two scoreless innings of relief in the second game, striking out four batters. Amidon has not allowed a run over four appearances to start his career, spanning six innings
Up Next
Merrimack and Saint Michael's conclude the three-game set tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m.
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