Baseball Falters Twice against Central Connecticut

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

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – After winning the series opener against Central Connecticut State University on Friday, the Merrimack College baseball team dropped a pair of contests to the defending Northeast Conference (NEC) champions on Saturday in league action. The defeats dropped Merrimack's record to 9-13 (5-7 NEC) while CCSU improved to 12-6 (9-3 NEC).

The opener from the CCSU Baseball Field saw the Warriors hold a lead into the bottom of the sixth inning, but at that point the hosts took control for a 6-3 win. Central then went on to prevail in the second game, 11-3.

The Basics
Score (G1): CCSU 6, Merrimack 3
Score (G2): CCSU 11, Merrimack 3
Records: Merrimack (9-13, 5-7 NEC) | CCSU (12-6, 9-3 NEC)
Location: New Britain, Conn. | CCSU Baseball Field    

Rapid Recap (Game 1):

• Merrimack manufactured a run in the top of the first. Graduate student Joey Porricelli drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a fly ball out, and scored on a wild pitch for the Warriors' first run
• Coming off his no-hitter last week, graduate student Riley Sorenson threw hitless frames in the first and second innings. CCSU scored in the bottom of the third though to tie the game at 1-1
• The Warriors immediately answered in the top of the fourth. With runners on the corners, junior Kurtis Stadnicki hit a RBI single to score graduate student Nick Shumski to give Merrimack its one-run lead back
• The score remained at 2-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, when CCSU hit a two-run homer to take a 3-2 lead. The Blue Devils then chased Sorenson in the seventh, scoring three times to increase their advantage to 6-2
• Freshman Bryant Skurbe hit a RBI single in the eighth that brought Merrimack's deficit to three. In the ninth, Merrimack was able to get one baserunner on, but failed to extend the comeback attempt beyond that

Rapid Recap (Game 2):

• Junior Wyatt Villella took the ball in game two and did not allow a hit over his first three innings of work. Graduate student Thomas Joyce supported his starter in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer to put Merrimack ahead, 2-0
• In the bottom half, however, Villella was victimized by three walks that contributed to two runs for the Blue Devils that immediately tied the game.
• The score remained tied in the top of the sixth. With Joyce standing at second, an errant throw on a pickoff attempt allowed Merrimack's first baseman to hustle around third and score to give the Warriors the lead back. The Blue Devils immediately responded with a four-run bottom of the sixth, however, to build a 6-3 lead. They expanded on their advantage even further with five runs in the seventh to open an eight-run disparity

Notes and Notables (Game 1):

• WP – Fox (3-2) | LP – Sorenson (4-2) | S – Neuman (4)
• Skurbe led the offense with two hits
• Porricelli swiped a season-high three bags
• Freshman Casey Hegan provided 1.1 innings of scoreless relief for Merrimack

Notes and Notables (Game 2)

• WP – Mozzicato (2-1) | LP – Villella (0-2)
• Joyce's homer was the 13^th of his career, knocking in the 98^th and 99^th runs of his career
• Skurbe posted another two-hit day as did senior Michael Jamele, sharing the team lead

Up Next
The Warriors start next week with a road game on Wednesday at UMass. First pitch from Amherst, Mass. is set for 3 p.m.