LUBBOCK, TEXAS – The Merrimack College baseball team was beaten twice by Texas Tech University on Saturday afternoon.
Alex Haba had four hits, including two doubles in game two.
Michael Golankiewicz had three RBI's throughout the two games.
The Basics
Score (G1): Merrimack 5, #19 Texas Tech 21
Score (G1): Merrimack 2, #19 Texas Tech 20
Records: Merrimack (2-5) | #19 Texas Tech (9-2)
Location: Lubbock, Texas. | Rip Griffin Park
Rapid Recap (Game 1)
- Golankiewicz doubled down the right field line to give the Warriors a runner in scoring position in the top of the first. Bryant Skurbe then singled through the right side of the infield, scoring Golankiewicz and giving Merrimack a lead. The Red Raiders answered with three runs on two hits in the bottom half of the first to go up by two. Texas Tech then added another run to go up by three in the second. Dolbashian drew a walk with two outs in the third, but failed to move from first base. The Red Raiders added one to their advantage after a solo homerun. Andrew Selima singled to right with one out in the fourth, he advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was unable to get knocked in.
- Christian Gemelli singled with one out in the top of the fifth. Alex Haba then followed up with a single of his own in the next Warriors at bat. Both advanced on a bad pick off attempt to second, but were unable to find home plate. Damon Fuller entered in relief for Merrimack starter Vin Zappulla. Fuller did not let up a run in the bottom half of the fifth. Texas Tech added nine runs in the sixth to take a commanding lead 14-1. In the seventh, Ben Nelson doubled down the line in left to put a runner in scoring position with one out. The Warriors could not score him. In the ninth, after three walks, Gemelli drew the fourth straight to score a run with the bases loaded. Dolbashian the doubled to center, scoring two runs for Merrimack. The final Warrior run of the afternoon came after a sac fly by Golankiewicz scored Gemelli.
Top Performers // Notes (Game 1)
- WP: Birdsell (2-1) | LP: Zappulla (1-1)
- Haba makes it six straight game with a hit. He leads the squad with a .450 batting average.
- Dolbashian had a career-high two hits in the loss. Both hits were doubles, which was also a career-high in the category.
- The matchup with Texas Tech marks the first series in program history against a Division I nationally ranked school.
Rapid Recap (Game 2)
- Both teams put each other down in order to start things off in the first. Warriors starter Cedric Gillette got a fly out and two ground outs. Skurbe drew a walk to lead off the second. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch. The Warriors failed to take advantage of the runner in scoring position. In the bottom half of the second, the Red Raiders got on the board with a two-run home run. Haba knocked an opposite field double win the third, after Scott Elliott wore one. Dolbashian drew a walk to load up the bases. Golankiewicz then hit a long fly ball to center that scored Elliot from third. Texas Tech added two in the third to take a three-score lead. The Red Raiders added another run in the fourth. Haba led off the top half of the fifth with a double, but the Warriors failed to get him past second base. Texas Tech added 13 runs in the fifth.
- In the sixth, Selima tripled with two outs, but did not reach home after Nelson flew out for the third out of the inning. LT Pare got the Red Raiders to go down in order. A single by Elliot and double by Haba started off the seventh for the Warriors. Golankiewicz grounded into a fielder's choice, which scored Elliott. Selima doubled in the eighth, but was unable to add any runs for Merrimack
Top Performers // Notes (Game 2)
- WP: Molina (2-1) | LP: Gillette (1-1)
- Haba makes it seven straight game with a hit.
- Selima earned his first multi-hit game of the season.
Up Next:
The Warriors dual with the Red Raiders one more time on Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for 2 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
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