ANDOVER, MASS. – The Merrimack College baseball team beat Sacred Heart University in game one of the three-game series. The victory also marked the second in a row for the Warriors.
Kurtis Stadnicki had two hits, including a two-run homerun in the win.
Stephen Santarpia added a ribbie for the home team.
Wyatt Villella threw six and a third, letting up seven hits, while striking out six.
LT Pare threw a scoreless inning and a third and earned his first victory of the season.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 6 Sacred Heart 5
Records: Merrimack (5-10-1) | Sacred Heart (1-19)
Location: Andover, Mass. | Greater Lawrence Tech
Rapid Recap
- The Pioneers got a leadoff single from their one batter, he made it to third, but did not cross home plate. Alex Haba reached first on an error to start off the Warriors half of the first inning. Michael Golankiewicz drew a two out walk. Bryant Skurbe followed up with a single that put runners on first and second. Merrimack failed to get either across home plate. Villella got Sacred Heart to go down in order in the second. Stadnicki doubled in the second, but could not get past second base. The Pioneers struck first in the third, getting runs on a solo home run and a double. Ben Nelson reached on an error and then advanced to second on the throw. Skurbe then reached second on an error, which plated Nelson the sequence put the Warriors down one.
- Haba drew a one out walk in the bottom half of the fifth, but was picked off by the pitcher. Nelson doubled to left, but could not be plated. Villella nailed down the Pioneers in order in the top of the sixth. Thomas Crowley reached on an error with two outs in the sixth. Braydon Dolbashian then tripled to right, scoring Crowley from first. Stadnicki then hit his first homerun of the season to put the Warriors on top by two. Sacred Heart took back the lead in the top half of the seventh after getting three runs, making their lead one. In the Warriors half of the seventh, Haba opened with a walk. Nelson then followed him with a free pass of his own. Golankiewicz then got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Haba tied the game up on a throwing error by the catcher. Skurbe was then also hit by a pitch, loading the bases once again. Santarpia hit into a fielder's choice, which was good enough to score Nelson from third and give Merrimack back the lead. Timmy Kalantzakos pitched the ninth for the Warriors. He struck out two on his way to his first save of the season.
Top Performers // Notes
- WP: Pare (1-0) | LP: Costello (0-2)
- The homerun by Stadnicki is the third of his Warrior career.
- Dolbashian earned the first triple of his Merrimack career in the victory.
Up Next:
The Warriors are back in action tomorrow afternoon for game two of the series with Sacred Heart. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and can be seen on NEC Front Row.
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