Josh Gibney
12
Winner Merrimack MER 9-12
4
American Int AIC 12-13
Winner
Merrimack MER
9-12
12
Final
4
American Int AIC
12-13
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Merrimack MER 2 4 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 12 12 0
American Int AIC 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 9 6

W: Kalantzakos, Timmy (1-0) L: Matt Costanza (2-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Bats Come Alive in Baseball's 12-4 Win at AIC

Links: Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.  – Freshman and Andover, Mass. native Timmy Kalantzakos worked six innings to record his first collegiate win in his first start, junior Matthew Ronai and sophomore Thomas Joyce combined for six RBI and the Merrimack College baseball team snapped its five-game losing skid with a 12-4 triumph at American International on Thursday from Bedard Field. The Warriors' record improved to 9-12 with the win, entering four Northeast-10 Conference tilts this weekend.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 12, American Int'l 4
Records: Merrimack (9-12) | American Int'l (12-13)
Location: Bedard Field | Springfield, Mass.

Rapid Recap
  • Merrimack jumped on the Yellow Jackets with six runs over the first two innings. A sacrifice and a fielding error in the outfield led to the Warriors' first two runs. A four-run second frame included RBI singles from sophomore Joey Porricelli and graduate student Tyler Lyne as well as a two-run triple by Ronai
  • Three hits including a two-run single contributed to three runs in the bottom of the second for AIC off Kalantzakos. The hosts added another run in the third, pulling within two runs at 6-4
  • Back-to-back singles from Porricelli and Lyne put runners on the corners for Merrimack with no outs in the fourth. Senior Matt Nicholson plated the former with a sac fly and Joyce chopped a single into right field to score the latter
  • Kalantzakos settled down to put up clean innings in the fourth, fifth and sixth. He finished the day with six strikeouts and left the mound in line for the victory
  • The Warriors ensured that win with four insurance runs in the eighth. Two errors led to the first two runs, Nicholson drove in the next with a triple and Joyce collected his third RBI of the day with a single
Notes and Notables:
  • WP: Kalantzakos (1-0) | LP: Costanza (2-3)
  • Kalantzakos' Final Line: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
  • The local product recorded his first career win in his first collegiate start. Kalantzakos' six strikeouts marked a career high for the rookie
  • AIC starter Matt Costanza entered Thursday with only six earned runs allowed through 28 innings, and the Warriors tagged the hurler for a season-high 10 hits and five earned runs
  • Leading off, Porricelli scored a career-high four runs. The Monroe, Conn. native recorded his third three-hit game of the season
  • Joyce tied his season high with three base knocks and set a new season best with three RBI. The Newton, Mass. native set a new career high with his 21st hit of the season, and saw his average (.304) climb above .300 on the year
  • Thursday marked the fifth time this season Merrimack scored 10 runs or more, but it was the first occurrence in the last 11 games
Up Next
The Warriors host Le Moyne on Saturday and Saint Rose on Sunday, playing both Southwest Division opponents in doubleheaders beginning at 12 p.m. on each day from Saint John's Preparatory School in Danvers, Mass.   

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