crowley-oru-1
William Powell
10
Winner Merrimack MER 6-3
3
Wofford WOF 7-3
Winner
Merrimack MER
6-3
10
Final
3
Wofford WOF
7-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Merrimack MER 2 0 0 3 1 3 0 0 1 10 11 1
Wofford WOF 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 10 0

W: Sorenson, Riley (2-0) L: Jake Hershman (1-1) S: Thibault, Jake (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Takes Series Opener at Wofford, 10-3

Links: Box Score
Video: Highlights

SPARTANBURG, S.C.  – Behind a pair of three-hit days for senior Nick Shumski and Thomas Crowley, a key bases-clearing triple for freshman Alex Haba and nine quality innings from the duo of graduate student Riley Sorenson and junior Jake Thibault, the Merrimack College baseball team defeated Wofford, 10-3, on Friday night in the series opener between the two squads at Russell C. King Field.

The Warriors knocked off the preseason favorites in the Southern Conference, improving to 6-3 on the season. The Terriers fell to 7-3 with the defeat. The foes return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon in game two of the three-game series. First pitch from Wofford's campus is set for 2 p.m.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 10, Wofford 3
Records: Merrimack (6-3) | Wofford (7-3)
Location: Russell C. King Field | Spartanburg, S.C.   

Rapid Recap
  • Merrimack immediately got the scoring going in the top of the first with Crowley dropping a double into right-center field, scoring Shumski and send senior Thomas Joyce to third base. Joyce proceeded to spring home on a wild pitch, giving Merrimack a 2-0 lead
  • Sorenson pitched out of a first-inning jam in the bottom half. After loading the bases with only one out, the team captain recorded consecutive strikeouts to escape the jam unscathed
  • The righty stranded one runner in scoring position in the second and third frames, keeping it a 2-0 contest entering the top of the fourth. Haba expanded Merrimack's lead there, driving a two-out triple all the way to the left-center field wall, scoring sophomore Kurtis Stadnicki, Crowley and junior Michael Jamele. Merrimack led, 5-0, midway through the fourth
  • Each team traded runs in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, keeping Merrimack's advantage at five, 6-1. In the second part of the fifth inning, Wofford scored two off Sorenson before the righty buckled down to end his outing with a fly out and strikeout
  • The Warriors broke the game open in the sixth. Three of the first four batters reached, including Shumski pushing a single through the right side that plated Jamele. Senior Joey Porricelli scored from third during the next at-bat, accounting for the team's eighth run, and Stadnicki's sacrifice fly scored the ninth tally, increasing the visitors' edge to 9-3
  • Thibault entered the bullpen and silenced Wofford's offense the rest of the way. He scattered three hits over the final four innings, striking out a pair of Terriers while facing only two more batters than the minimum. Another sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth gave Merrimack its 10th and final run
Top Performers // Notes
  • WP: Sorenson (2-0) | LP: Hershman (1-1) | S: Thibault (1)
  • Sorenson's Final Line (W): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
  • With the win, Sorenson became the 13th player in school history with at least 11 career victories
  • Thibault recorded his first career save, becoming the third different Warrior with a save this season
  • Shumski posted his sixth multi-hit game of the season, moving into a tie for sixth in the nation with a NEC-leading 17 base knocks this season
  • Crowley and Shumski accounted for six of the team's 11 hits. Haba and graduate student Cory Wasylow drove in half (5) of the team's 10 runs
Up Next:
The Warriors and Terriers return to action for game two of the series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.  

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