Baseball Dominates in Divisional Opener at Bentley, 18-4

Links: Box Score

WALTHAM, Mass.  – The Merrimack College baseball program scored at least 18 runs in a game for the third time this season, smashing 17 hits in the Warriors' 18-4 Northeast Division triumph at Bentley University on Wednesday afternoon at DeFelice Field.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 18, Bentley 4
Records: Merrimack (16-14, 9-8 NE10, 4-5 NE DIV)
Records: Bentley (15-13, 9-4 NE10, 5-4 NE DIV)
Location: DeFelice Field | Waltham, Mass.

Rapid Recap

• The Navy and Gold jumped on the Falcons, scoring seven runs over the first two innings. Sophomore Thomas Joyce and junior Cory Wasylow knocked in six of the seven runs, with the former hitting a two-run triple in the first and drawing a bases-loaded walk in the second. The latter smacked a pair of run-scoring singles, one in each frame
• The score sat at 8-3 through four innings as junior lefty Daniel Amidon kept Bentley from mounting a comeback. The Warriors broke the game open with a seven-run top of the fifth, building a 15-3 advantage
• Sophomore Joey Porricelli drilled a two-run triple to start the scoring. A sacrifice fly, RBI and a wild pitch accounted for the next three runs while sophomore Anthony Garbarino capped the frame with a two-run single
• The Navy and Gold's offense finished the day with a three-run sixth as seniors Matt Nicholson and Ricky Smith along with Garbarino knocked in one run each
• Amidon worked through six innings before redshirt-junior Garrett Hudson along with juniors Riley Sorenson and Cam Monagle each threw one clean inning of relief

Notes and Notables:

• WP: Amidon (2-2) | LP: Riley (0-2)
• Amidon's Final Line (W): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• Among the 17-hit, 18-run onslaught, two juniors in Wasylow and Garbarino shined above the rest. The duo each posted four-hit days – career highs for both – while the former knocked in a career-best four runs and the latter drove in three, which was a personal best
• Porricelli scored four more runs from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-5 at the dish and reaching base five times
• The reigning NE10 Player of the Week moved into a tie for the team lead with Nicholson after hitting his third triple of the year
• Junior Matthew Ronai equaled Porricelli's output with four runs scored. The No. 3 hitter totaled three hits, his fourth three-hit game of the season to increase his team-leading average to .389

Up Next
Merrimack is set to travel to American International for a non-conference game tomorrow afternoon (3:30 p.m.). The Warriors' next divisional games will be this weekend, when the Navy and Gold head to Saint Michael's for a three-game set with the Purple Knights beginning Saturday at 1 p.m.