Links: Box Score
MANCHESTER, N.H.  – Playing at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, the home of the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, freshman
Timmy Kalantzakos delivered the best start of his young career to lead the Merrimack College baseball program to a 7-3 win over Saint Anselm in non-league play Tuesday evening. The Andover, Mass. native worked eight innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven Hawks.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 7, Saint Anselm 3
Records: Merrimack (20-14) | Saint Anselm (9-21)
Location: Northeast Delta Dental Stadium | Manchester, N.H.
Rapid Recap
- After an error extended the first inning, the Warriors capitalized by scoring two runs on RBI singles from senior Matt Nicholson and junior Cory Wasylow
- Saint Anselm got one run back in the bottom of the first, but the Warriors responded in the third inning with consecutive run-scoring doubles off the bats of graduate student Tyler Lyne and Nicholson, increasing the Warriors' advantage to 4-1
- With the score at 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Lyne smoked a triple of the wall in leftfield, scoring sophomore Joey Porricelli to give the Navy and Gold a five-run lead. The starting centerfielder nearly made it an inside-the-park homer, but was thrown out at the plate
- Kalantzakos took things over from there. After allowing a single in the first inning, the rookie did not allow another hit until his final inning of work. He record four one-two-three innings, and at one point retired seven straight batters
- Merrimack added one more run in eighth via a double from sophomore Thomas Joyce, while junior Trevor Cooley relieved Kalantzakos in the ninth and worked a perfect frame to end the game
Notes and Notables:
- WP: Kalantzakos (2-0) | LP: Yerrington (0-1)
- Kalantzakos' Final Line (W): 8.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 7 K
- The righty set career bests on Tuesday, lasting a season-high eight innings while fanning seven Hawks. It also marked his first career quality start
- Nicholson's three-hit day marked the cleanup hitter's third consecutive game with three base knocks. The Rockland, Mass. native has a seven-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games
- Merrimack's right fielder increased his team-leading average to .388, and is four base knocks away from a new career best
- Lyne recorded two of Merrimack's four extra-base hits on the day, including his 13th career triple. The fifth-year Warrior is now within one of tying the program record, which has stood for nine years
Up Next
The Warriors begin a five-game in four-day stretch on Thursday afternoon when Merrimack plays Bentley University for the second of three divisional games between the Warriors and Falcons. With a win, the Navy and Gold will clinch the season series over the Falcons. First pitch in Waltham, Mass. is set for 3:30 p.m.
