Links: Box Score
ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College baseball program smashed seven home runs on Wednesday, including a pair of multi-homer games for graduate student
Nick Shumski and freshman
Bryant Skurbe, to roar past UAlbany, 14-5, at Greater Lawrence Technical School. The non-conference win improved Merrimack's record to 2-3 while the Great Danes fell to 1-4.
The Warriors' first six runs off the game came via round-trippers, building a 6-1 edge for Merrimack. Albany made things interesting, climbing within three runs of Merrimack at 8-5 through the top of the fifth. The hosts broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth though as Skurbe's grand slam turned a 10-5 contest into a 14-5 walloping.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 14, UAlbany 5
Records: Merrimack (2-3) | UAlbany (1-4)
Location: Greater Lawrence Technical School | Andover, Mass. Â Â Â Â
Rapid Recap
- Senior Timmy Kalantzakos started, but only threw the first inning. He allowed one run on two walks and a hit, but struck out two batters. Graduate student Joey Porricelli immediately answered with a leadoff home in the bottom half to tie the game at 1-1
- Skurbe led the bottom of the second inning off with his first career homer. After two outs, senior Michael Jamele and Porricelli reached base to bring sophomore Alex Haba to bat. The sophomore drilled his second homer in as many games to drive in three runs, and Shumski followed by touching them all. After the back-to-back jacks, the Warriors owned a 6-1 lead
- Freshman Tyghe Healy threw innings No. 2-4 for Merrimack, allowed a pair of unearned runs while striking out four UAlbany hitters. Offensively, Merrimack scored one run each in the third and fourth frames to bring its lead to 8-3
- To answer Albany's two-run top of the fifth, junior Kurtis Stadnicki took the first pitch he saw out of the ballpark in the bottom half of the inning. The score remained at 9-5 in the bottom of the sixth when Merrimack broke things open. Four of Merrimack's first five batters in the inning reached via three walks and a hit by pitch, resulting in one run scored. Skurbe then entered the box with two outs and the bases loaded, depositing a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence to bring the tilt to a 14-5 margin
- The score remained there the rest of the game. The trio of freshman Michael Dragon, junior Sean Thompson and sophomore Michael Bean threw the final 4.2 innings of the game without relenting a run. Dragon impressed in his collegiate debut, totaling three punchouts over 2.2 frames of work
Top Performers // Notes
- WP: Healy (1-0) | LP: Manetta (0-1)
- Shumski posted his first career multi-homer game, knocking in two runs and scoring three more from the No. 3 spot in Merrimack's order
- Skurbe's first two career collegiate hits left the ballpark. The Monroe Township, N.J. native went 2-for-2 on the day with two walks, totaling five RBI and scoring three runs
- Porricelli has hit three homers over his first 14 plate appearances of the year. He now owns 15 career homers
- Stadnicki's round-tripper was the first of his career
- Healy earned the win in his Merrimack debut. The left-hander faced 13 batters over three innings, striking out four Great Dances over his three innings of work
Up Next:
The Warriors' eight-game season-opening homestand continues this weekend with a three-game series with UMass. The first game against the Minutemen is on Friday at 3 p.m. at Greater Lawrence.
