Baseball Suffers Two Losses Sunday at Adelphi

Links: Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2)

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The Merrimack College baseball program played its second Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader in as many days on Sunday, falling twice to the Adelphi University Panthers from William J. Bonomo Memorial Field in Garden City, N.Y. The Warriors' NE10 record evened out at 2-2 through four league games after two wins at Pace on Saturday.

The Basics
Score (G1: Adelphi 8, Merrimack 1
Score (G2): Adelphi 9, Merrimack 0
Records: Merrimack (8-10, 2-2 NE10) | Adelphi (11-4, 3-0 NE10)
Location: Bonomo Memorial Field | Garden City, N.Y.  

Rapid Recap (Game 1):

• Merrimack managed one baserunner through the first two frames, but the game remained scoreless entering the bottom of the second. Freshman Sean Thompson relented three runs in the bottom half, however, seeing his own throwing error and a wild pitch leading to three Adelphi runs
• The Warriors had a runner reach scoring position twice through the top of the fifth, but did not capitalize on either occasion. Adelphi tacked on one more in the bottom of the fifth, opening a 4-0 edge
• Sophomore Dylan Stevens took over in the sixth, working a one-two-third opening inning. The Warriors threatened in the top of the seventh, placing runners on the corners, but failed to score once more. Another unearned run touched home for the hosts in the bottom half, marking their fifth run of the day
• Junior Joey Porricelli kept his bat hot with a solo homer in the eighth, pulling the visitors within four. Adelphi broke the game open in its last at-bat, however, tallying three runs in the bottom of the eighth to create the 8-1 final margin

Rapid Recap (Game 2):

• Adelphi jumped on sophomore starter Jake Thibault in the bottom of the first, scoring four times. The Panthers hit a leadoff homer followed by a run-scoring double and a two-RBI single to account for the scoring
• Thibault settled in, posting one-two-three frames in the second and third before stranding a pair of Panthers in the bottom of the fourth. Merrimack threatened in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out, but Adelphi pitched out of the jam to keep its lead at 4-0. Adelphi added on two more in the sixth, leading by six entering the final third of the game
• Freshman Cedric Gillette threw the final two innings of the day, tossing a scoreless seventh inning before Adelphi touched the Andover, Mass. native for two insurance markers in the eighth to create the 9-0 final

Notes and Notables (Game 1):

• WP – Baram (3-0) | LP – Thompson (0-3)
• Thompson's Final Line (L): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• Porricelli needed just his 17^th game to establish a new career best in homers, hitting his team-leading fourth of the season. The third baseman hit three all of last season over 238 at-bats
• The round-tripper also resulted in Porricelli's 99^th career run scored; entering game two, he led the team with 19 runs on the season
• With one more touch of home, the Monroe, Conn. native will become the 12^th player in school history to total 100 career runs
• Freshman Kurtis Stadnicki impressed, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances including a pair of base knocks

Notes and Notables (Game 2)

• WP – Luc (2-2) | LP – Thibault (1-2)
• Thibault's Final Line (L): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• An Endicott College transfer, Thibault set career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts while making his first career start in a Merrimack uniform
• The Warriors were held to a season-low one hit, coming off the bat of sophomore Thomas Crowley

Up Next
Merrimack begins divisional play on Wednesday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. first pitch at DeFelice Field where the Warriors play Bentley University for the first time this spring in Waltham, Mass.