Links: Box Score
LANTANA, Fla.  – Sophomore starter
Timmy Kalantzakos tossed eight shutout innings on Monday afternoon, scattering just a pair of hits while striking out six Southern Connecticut University Owls as the Merrimack College baseball program dispatched Southern Conn., 9-3, in a non-conference game played at the Santaluces Athletic Complex.
The victory gave the Warriors their third victory over their last four games, all of which have come against regional competition. The defeat dropped the Owls' 2019 record to 5-7.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 9, Southern Conn. 3
Records: Merrimack (3-5) | Southern Conn. (5-7)
Location: Santaluces Athletic Complex | Lantana, Fla.
Rapid Recap
- Junior Joey Porricelli immediately put the Warriors on the board, launching a leadoff homer for his first round-tripper of the year. Kalantzakos worked around an error and a hit batsman in the bottom of the first, but that proved to be the best chance the Owls had to score on Merrimack's starter. The Andover, Mass. native retired the final batter of the first, the first of nine straight outs for the right-hander
- Between the third and fifth innings, the Warriors scored the rest of their eight runs. The top of the third saw sophomore Thomas Crowley collect a base hit, steal second and scored on a two-out single by senior Cory Wasylow to make it a 2-0 game through three innings
- In the fourth, sophomore Michael Jamele notched a leadoff double, and was driven in one batter later by Porricelli. Merrimack's aggressiveness created the inning's next three runs; the Warriors stole five bases in the inning, including two by Porricelli who scored on a passed ball. Crowley knocked in junior Nick Shumski with his second hit of the game, stole two bases of his own before scoring on an error by the Owls' shortstop. When the inning was over, Merrimack owned a 6-0 edge
- Shumski, senior Matthew Ronai and Crowley added one RBI each to account for the scoring in the fifth. Merrimack's first four batters in the inning reached as the Warriors loaded the bases without recording an out. Shusmki knocked in one with a single, Ronai followed with a sacrifice fly and Crowley notched his second run-scoring base knock in as many frames
- Kalantzakos took over from there. Beginning with the last out of the fourth, he sat down 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced. Additionally, from the second inning on, Kalantzakos put down 22 of 24 Owls including striking out four of the final six batters to complete his eight-inning outing
Top Performers
- WP: Kalantzakos (1-1) | LP: Ebert (0-1)
- Kalantzakos' final line (W): 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
- The effort for Kalantzakos marked the longest regular season start of his career, equaled the fewest hits relented and registered as his first-ever regular start without allowing a run. The six punch outs fell one short of tying his career best
- Porricelli's long ball marked his second over the last three games, increasing his hitting streak to six straight games. He also became the first Warrior this season with multiple long balls
- After stealing a season-best five bags on Sunday, the Warriors one-upped that number on Monday. Crowley totaled half on his own after entering the day without a single steal in his career
- Porricelli, Crowley and Jamele all tied for the team high with three hits apiece. For Crowley, it marked the first multi-hit game of his career
- Four different Warriors scored two runs apiece: Porricelli, Shumski, Crowley and Jamele
- Merrimack added a season-high 17 hits. Through two games in Florida, the Warriors have scored 22 runs on 30 base knocks
Up Next:
The Warriors will play their lone non-regional game of the week tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. when Merrimack faces Barry University at 6 p.m. from Feinbloom Field on the campus of the Buccaneers.
