Links: Box Score
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Graduate student
Riley Sorenson threw a no-hitter on Friday afternoon for the Merrimack College baseball program, leading the Warriors to a 2-1 win over Sacred Heart University at Veteran's Memorial Park. Sorenson's no-hitter was the first in the program's Division I history, and eighth in all of college baseball so far this season.
The sixth-year hurler retired the final 17 batters he faced, and put down the Pioneers in order in seven of nine innings overall. He struck out a season-best eight batters, including five of the final seven hitters of the game. He needed just 98 pitches to work through his hitless outing.
Sorenson joins Perry Kulaga '17 and Chris Pinette '12 as players in program history to throw no-hitters. Friday was his second career complete game and 15
th career victory.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 2, Sacred Heart 1
Records: Merrimack (7-10, 4-4 NEC) | Sacred Heart (8-15, 4-4 NEC)
Location: Bridgeport, Conn. | Veteran's Memorial Park
Rapid Recap
- Sorenson ended both the first and second innings with double plays as Sacred Heart earned baserunners via walks. The Warriors threatened for the first time in the top of the third with a pair of two-out singles, but left runners on first and second. Merrimack's starter then recorded his first conventional one-two-three inning in the bottom of the third, keeping the game scoreless.
- Merrimack scored its first run in the top of the fourth. Graduate student Nick Shumski hit a leadoff triple to start the frame. Freshman Bryant Skurbe followed with a ground out to shortstop that plated Merrimack's shortstop, giving the Warriors a 1-0 lead
- Sacred Heart manufactured a run in the bottom half without recording a hit. After a leadoff walk and a steal, the Pioneers had a runner in scoring position. A grounder advanced the runner to third, and a sacrifice fly scored the team's lone run. The game was tied at that point, 1-1, but SHU did not have a runner reach base over the remainder of the game
- Sorenson was perfect in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, keeping the score deadlocked at one. In the top of the eight, the bats pushed across the game-winning run. With runners at the corners and two outs, Shumski reached on a throwing error that allowed senior Michael Jamele to score and gave Sorenson all the production he needed
- The Sandwich, Mass. native faced three pinch hitters in the eighth and ninth innings, striking out each one. With two outs in the bottom half, Sorenson punched out his last batter to complete the no-hitter
Top Performers // Notes
- WP: Sorenson (4-1) | LP: Jeter (2-2)
- Sorenson's no-hitter was the second nine-inning no-no in program history; Pinette's no-no in 2009 occurred in a seven-inning game
- His eight strikeouts in the outing marked a new career high for Sorenson
- He also moved into fourth place all-time in program history in career wins (15)
- Sorenson is tied for the lead in the NEC with four wins this season
Up Next:
Merrimack and Sacred Heart return to Veteran's Memorial Park at 1 p.m. tomorrow for the series finale
