Hudson Dazzles as Baseball Stymies AIC, 5-1

Hudson Dazzles as Baseball Stymies AIC, 5-1

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RINDGE, N.H. – Redshirt-sophomore Garrett Hudson (Greenfield, Mass.) threw a career-high tying seven innings and struck out eight American International Yellow Jackets as the third-year hurler led the Merrimack College baseball team to a 5-1 victory on Tuesday evening in a non-conference game played at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Filed on the campus of Franklin Pierce University.

The Basics
 Score: Merrimack 5, AIC 1
Records: Merrimack (6-10) | AIC (3-10)
Location: Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field | Rindge, N.H.

How It Happened

  • 1st inning – Hudson worked around a first-inning error in the top half of the frame, as Merrimack played as the home team with the contest originally slated to be played on campus. The righty ended the frame with his first two punch outs of the night, getting Merrimack to the sticks
  • 2nd inning – With Hudson sitting the Yellow Jackets down in order in the top half, the Warriors' new look bottom-third of their lineup generated the game's first run. Senior catcher Chris Cimmino (Orange, Conn.) lined a one-out double to the right-centerfield gap and came around to score on a two-out single from freshman Joey Porricelli (Monroe, Conn.)
  • 4th inning – Hudson worked around his first adversity in the fourth. With the first two AIC batters reaching, the next two Yellow Jackets were eliminated on fielder's choices to put runners on the corners. The third-year starter finished the inning on a pickoff at first, entering the dugout without a blemish
  • 5th inning – In the bottom half, the Warriors generated some distance between themselves and AIC. The first three Warriors reaching base, culminating with a run-scoring single from sophomore Matthew Ronai (Orange, Conn.). Two more runs then scored on a miscue by AIC, as junior Matt Nicholson (Rockland, Mass.) and Ronai touched home on a ball put in play by Cimmino. The Warriors led four zip through five frames
  • 6th inning – The Yellow Jackets capitalized in the top of the sixth for their first run, but with two baserunners on, Hudson notched his seventh strikeout of the night to end the inning. Another RBI single from Ronai, scoring senior Cam DiSarcina (Shirley, Mass.), immediately put the Warriors' advantage back to four, 5-1
  • 7th inning – A one-two-three seventh frame marked the end of the night for Hudson, who tied his previous personal best with eight strikeouts
  • 8th inning – Sophomore Tucker Lord (Cromwell, Conn.) replaced Hudson, retired his first two opponents by way of the K and did not allow a run in two innings of relief, cementing the Merrimack win

Inside The Numbers

  • WP: Hudson (1-2) | LP: Costanza (2-2)
  • Hudson equaled a seven-inning relief appearance that occurred last season against Stonehill as his longest previous outing. That contest also marked the Greenfield native's previous eight-strikeout performance. He lowered his season ERA to 5.89 through 18.1 innings of work, which is two innings short of setting a new career high
  • Head coach Nick Barese made multiple lineup adjustments entering Tuesday's tilt. DiSarcina played a first base for the first time in his Merrimack career, maintaining his No. 3 spot in the Warriors' order. Senior Ryan Petrone (Leicester, Mass.) moved up to the sixth spot, with Cimmino slotting in behind him. Senior Paul Buckley (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) made his first start of the season at second base and hit eighth, while Porricelli finished off the order and played at third
  • Playing as Merrimack's designated hitter, Ronai increased his team-long hitting streak to 15 games with two more base knocks against the Yellow Jackets. He has multi-hit efforts in four of his last five games, increasing his average to .369 on the year. Despite the hitting streak, he entered Tuesday with just two RBI over his last nine games before knocking in two against AIC
  • Cimmino, Buckley and Porricelli combined to reach base on eight occasions as Merrimack's seventh-ninth hitters. Cimmino notched the first extra-base hit of his career, while Porricelli posted a multi-hit game for the first time during his rookie campaign
  • DiSarcina added two doubles, increasing his team- and Northeast-10 leading total to 10 on the season. The final two-bagger marked the 180th hit of his career, as he moved into sixth all-time at Merrimack in total hits

Up Next
 The Warriors are currently scheduled to play AIC this Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. in a doubleheader from Trinity Stadium in Haverhill, Mass. The contests will be Northeast-10 Conference games for the Yellow Jackets and Warriors.

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For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.

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