Links: Box Score
LAKELAND, Fla.  – The Merrimack College baseball team held a 4-1 advantage on Thursday night halfway through the Warriors' season opener at No. 13 Florida Southern from Henley Field in Lakeland, Fla., proving they were on equal footing with the nationally ranked Mocs to start the year. The hosts ended up scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game and twice more in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. Merrimack brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but came up short in its comeback bid.
The Basics
Score: #13 Florida Southern 6,
Merrimack 4
Records: Merrimack (0-1) | #13 Florida Southern (6-2)
Location: Henley Field | Lakeland, Fla.
Rapid Recap
- Sophomore Vin Zappulla took the ball for the Warriors, and relented one run in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff walk, Zappulla recorded back-to-back outs, but the Mocs pushed across a run on a two-out double. Left fielder sophomore Thomas Crowley – making his first-ever start – mowed down a runner at home on the play to end the inning
- Zappulla settled in, tossing scoreless frames in the second, third and fourth innings. The Staten Island, N.Y. native posted one-two-three frames in the third and fourth, as well. The bottom of Merrimack's order tied the game in the top of the third. Freshman Kurtis Stadnicki drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw. Senior Anthony Garbarino singled him over to third and sophomore Michael Jamele hit a sacrifice fly to score Stadnicki
- Merrimack broke the tie with a three-run fourth inning. Senior Matthew Ronai smacked a leadoff double and came around to score on a single by senior Cory Wasylow. With runners in scoring position following a Crowley double, Stadnicki drove both Wasylow and Crowley home on an opposite-field single, giving Merrimack a 4-1 lead
- Florida Southern tacked on a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. Then with two outs, the hosts hit a solo shot to tie the game at 4-4. The Mocs took the lead back in the sixth, scoring twice on a two-out double off sophomore Jake Thibault
- Thibault blanked the Mocs in the seventh and junior Stephen Fleury threw a perfect eighth to keep the deficit at two. In the top of the ninth, Stadnicki drew a one-out walk in the night, and senior William Keegan followed with a pinch-hit single to put two runners on. Jamele hit a long fly ball out to left to bring up junior Joey Porricelli, but the reigning all-conference third baseman struck out to end the night
Top Performers
- WP: Kelley (1-0) | LP: Thibault (0-1)
- Stadnicki posted an impressive debut as the Warriors' catcher. The rookie reached base in three of his four chances, drawing a pair of walks to go along with a team-high two RBI
- Eight different players scatted one hit each, including the first career extra-base hit for Crowley
- Zappulla's final line (ND): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Up Next:
The Warriors return to action on Sunday afternoon when Merrimack will face Davenport University for a pair of seven-inning games beginning at 9 a.m. at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla.
