| Matchup |
Merrimack (8-9, 0-1 NE DIV) at
Franklin Pierce (13-8-1, 0-1 NE DIV) |
| Date//Time |
Friday-Saturday, March 30-31, 2018 (12 p.m. | 12/3 p.m.) |
| Venue |
Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field (Rindge, N.H.) |
| Multimedia |
Live Stats (GM 1 | GM 2 | GM 3) // Video (Fri. | Sat.) |
| Social Media |
Twitter // Instagram |
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – After taking on Franklin Pierce in non-conference play just two weeks ago, the Merrimack College baseball team will face the Ravens once again for a three-game set in Rindge, N.H. The divisional series will feature a single game on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.
Last Time Out:
- The Warriors saw senior lefty PJ Browne become the fifth pitcher in program history to eclipse 200 career innings pitched, and move with 15 strikeouts of the program record, but the Warriors suffered a 10-5 loss against Assumption on Wednesday
- Merrimack held a 5-1 lead through six innings, only to see the Greyhounds score the final nine runs of the game to prevail
- Graduate student Tyler Lyne led the offense with two RBI, while junior Matthew Ronai posted a team-high three hits. The Warriors' DH has 11 hits in his last 18 at-bats against the Greyhounds
'Mack Facts:
- In his career, Browne currently has 205.0 innings pitched and 216 strikeouts. The lefty ranks fourth all-time in IP and second in K's in school history
- Senior Joe Westerman and freshman Vin Zappulla posted solid pitching efforts last weekend, bolstering Merrimack's rotation. The former threw eight shutout innings, set a new career high in strikeouts (26) and topped Southern Connecticut on Saturday, 4-0. Westerman has not allowed an earned run in his last 13.1 innings
- Zappulla was named NE10 Rookie of the Week following his win over No. 7 New Haven. Zappulla lowered his ERA to 2.87 through nearly 16 innings of work, which includes two starts and two relief appearances. The Staten Island, N.Y. native leads the staff with three victories
- This weekend's pits the top-two hitting teams in the Northeast Division against each other. Merrimack (.297) leads Franklin Pierce (.288) for the division lead
Scouting the Ravens:
- Since facing Merrimack, Franklin Pierce has won four of its last six games. The Ravens did drop their most recent contest against SNHU, 9-3, to open Northeast play
- Franklin Pierce's lineup is led by four .300 hitters, paced by senior John Friday who is hitting at a .386 clip. Friday's 34 base knocks and nine doubles also lead the team
- The Ravens' catcher Stephen Octave leads the team in the power department, hitting five home runs
- Merrimack saw senior John Amendola and junior Zach Hart on the hill last weekend. The duo are tied for the staff lead with 35.0 innings pitched each. The latter owns a team-high 30 strikeouts
Recent Series:
- Both games two weeks ago were tied entering the ninth inning, but the Ravens scored in the top of the ninth in each tilt to prevail
- Westerman came out of the bullpen in the second game, tossing 5.1 innings and allowed two unearned runs. Browne took the ball in the opener, and allowed one run before leaving with a no decision
Up Next:
Merrimack will play against Bentley on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. The contest marks the first divisional game of the year between the Warriors and Falcons
