Links: Box Score (Game 1) |
Box Score (Game 2)
Video: Anthony Lupi Postgame Comments
DANVERS, MASS. – Senior captain
Anthony Lupi threw one of the best efforts of his career on Sunday afternoon, tossing his first-ever complete game to lead the Merrimack College baseball program to a 3-1 upset of No. 20 Le Moyne from Pete Frates Field on the campus of Saint John's Prep. The Navy and Gold handed the Dolphins their first Northeast-10 Conference loss of the season after the visitors bested Merrimack in the opening game of Sunday's twinbill, 9-0.
The Basics
Score (G1): #20 Le Moyne 9,
Merrimack 0
Score (G2): Merrimack 3, #20 Le Moyne 1
Records: Merrimack (12-13, 5-7 NE10) | #20 Le Moyne (22-7-1, 8-1-1)
Location: Saint John's Prep | Danvers, Mass.
Rapid Recap (Game 1):
- Senior PJ Browne took the ball in the opener, and put up zero's in the first and second frames. Le Moyne pushed one run across on the third on the sacrifice fly, however, to open the scoring
- The Dolphins loaded the bases in the fifth with one out, but senior Ricky Smith picked off the Dolphin at third for the second out. Graduate student Tyler Lyne ended the fifth with a sliding catch in center, preventing a pair of Le Moyne runs
- Le Moyne broke the game open with a four-run seventh, highlighted by a three-run inside-the-park homer to expand its lead to 5-0
- Dolphins starter Ryan Murphy went the distance for the complete game. The Warriors put two runners on in the ninth facing a 9-0 deficit, but Murphy retired the final batter to capture the win
Rapid Recap (Game 2):
- Playing in their fifth game in four days, Merrimack handed the ball to Lupi needing innings out of its senior captain. The southpaw did just that, facing the minimum threw the first three frames without allowing a hit
- Senior Matt Nicholson drove in Merrimack's first run of the day in the bottom of the first, hitting a grounder to the right side that plated Lyne. The Warriors tacked on one more in the third, when sophomore Nick Shumski hit a leadoff double and came around to score on Lyne's sacrifice fly
- With two outs in the fifth, Le Moyne garnered their first threat with a pair of singles, but Lupi generated a fly ball to end the inning. The Dover, N.H. native then limited the Dolphins to one run in the seventh after an error and three consecutive singles made it a 2-1 game. Shumski fielded a grounder at shortstop and turned an inning-ending double play to minimize the damage
- In the eighth, two straight singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for senior Mike Hoalcraft who hit a sac fly to left field, giving Merrimack an insurance marker. Lupi returned to mound for the top of the ninth, recording his sixth one-two-three inning of the day to win the game
Notes and Notables (Game 1):
- WP – Murphy (3-2) | LP – Browne (1-2)
- Browne's Final Line (L): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- Sophomore Thomas Joyce continued to swing a hot bat, collecting three of Merrimack's eight hits on the afternoon
- Nicholson went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to four. Including the finale, the Rockland, Mass. native has hits in 10 of his last 11 games
Notes and Notables (Game 2)
- WP – Lupi (2-3) | LP – Vail (2-1)
- Lupi's Final Line (CG): 9.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
- Throwing in his 33rd career game and making his 21st career start, Lupi dominated the nationally ranked Dolphins. The southpaw scattered eight hits over the nine frames, putting forth his best effort of the season
- Lupi's previous career high in innings pitched came last season during an eight-frame effort against AIC. The senior leader joins freshman Vin Zappulla as Warriors with complete games this season
- Merrimack picked up its second win of the season against a ranked opponent
- Lyne, Shumski and junior Matthew Ronai posted two-hit games, accounting for all but one of Merrimack's base knocks on the day
Up Next
The Warriors head on the road, looking to avenge a divisional loss to Assumption from earlier this season. First pitch from Worcester, Mass. on Wednesday is set for 3:30 p.m. in the programs' second divisional meeting of the season.
