BRIDGEPORT, CONN. – The Merrimack College baseball team took the first two games of its weekend series with Sacred Heart University on Friday afternoon in a doubleheader. The Warriors took the first game by a close margin 5-4 and then blew the door open in game two, winning 18-6. In game one Alex Haba led the Warriors with three hits. In game two, Kurtis Stadnicki had three hits and an RBI. Jake Macchi lead the way with five RBI's in the victory. Michael Golankiewicz added a home run to his season toal in the win.
The Basics
G1 Score: Merrimack 5 Sacred Heart 4
G2 Score: Merrimack 18 Sacred Heart 6
Records: Merrimack (17-26-1) | Sacred Heart (11-37)
Location: Bridgeport, Conn.
Rapid Recap (G1)
- Haba lead off the game with a single up the middle. Two batters later Christian Gemelli singled home Haba who advanced earlier in the inning after a fielder's choice. The Warriors took an early one-run lead. The Pioneers added two in the bottom half of the first going up one. Golankiewicz ripped a singled to the right side in the second, but got left on first at the end of the inning. Haba singled again in the top of the third with one out. Scott Elliott singled in the next at bat, putting two runners on. Macchi then hit the third single of the inning for the Warriors, scoring Haba and tying the game at two. Andrew Selima was hit by a pitch with two down in the fourth. Ben Nelson then drew a free pass, putting two runners on. Haba doubled, scoring both Selima and Nelson, putting Merrimack up by two. Sacred Heart got two back in the bottom half of the fourth, tying the game once again.
- Braydon Dolbashian singled with two outs in the fifth, but was left on first at the end of the inning. Stadnicki singled to lead off the top of the sixth. Selima then drew a walk to put two runners on. Both ended up in scoring position, but got left on base. Selima singled with one out in the eighth. Nelson drew is second walk of the game, putting two runners on. Elliott was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Macchi reached on a throwing error by the shortstop, scoring the runner from third and giving Merrimack a one-run lead. Timmy Kalantzakos pitched a shutdown eighth and ninth for the Warriors, striking out four and earring his seventh save of the season.
Rapid Recap (G2)
- Like in game one, Haba opened the game with a single. Gemelli then drew a walk, putting two runners on with two outs. Dolbashian singled to the right side, scoring one. Golakiewicz reached on an error, scoring another for the Warriors, giving them a two run advantage. Sacred Heart scored one run in the bottom half of the first to go down by just one. Selima singled to lead off the second for Merrimack. Nelson then drew a walk, once again putting two runners on. Haba singled, loading the bases. Elliott reached on an error, scoring two runs. The next batter was Macchi and he doubled to left, scoring another runner, putting the Warriors up four. Gemelli singled, scoring two, putting the away team up six. A Golankiewicz single was followed up by a Stadnicki double, scoring another run. The inning's lead off batter, Selima got up again and doubled down the line scoring two more runs, sending the Warriors up nine. A Macchi double later in the inning scored three more for Merrimack making the score 13-1. Golankiewicz hit a solo home run for Merrimack making the advantage 13. The Pioneers got one back in the bottom of the third cutting the lead back to 13.
- Golankiewicz singled to lead off the top of the fifth. Standnicki followed up with a single of his own, putting two runners on. Selima was then hit by a pitch, loan ding the bases. A sac fly by Nelson scored one for Merrimack. An Elliott single scored two making the score 17-2. Macchi sent a sac fly to center for his fifth RBI of the afternoon. Sacred Heart scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 15 runs. The Pioneers ended up scoring six runs, but that was not enough to stop the Warriors this afternoon
Top Performers // Notes
WP: Butera (1-1) | LP: Babusckak (2-7)
WP: Healy (3-2) | LP: McDowell (1-3)
- Kalantzakos threw a near flawless eighth and ninth, he allowed just one hit while striking out four.
- Merrimack's 18 runs is the most that they have scored in a victory this season.
Up Next:
The Warriors get back to action Sunday afternoon for game three of their weekend series with Sacred Heart. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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