Baseball Completes Weekend Series at Niagara

NIAGARA FALLS, NY – The Merrimack College baseball team won one game in their three-game set at Niagara. The Warriors earned a game three victory over the Purple Eagles.
 
The Basics
Scores:
Game 1: Merrimack 3 | Niagara 8
Game 2: Merrimack | Niagara (Double Forfeit)
Game 3: Merrimack 3 | Niagara 1
Records: Merrimack (15-31-1, 10-17) | Niagara (15-24, 10-14)
 
How it Happened

• The first game of the series in New York was a tough start for Merrimack. The Warriors trailed 4-0 after the first inning and did not score their first run until the fifth inning. It was Frankie Ferrentino trying to jump start the bats with a two-run homer to make it 5-2. Niagara proceeded to add their 6^th, 7^th and 8^th run through the next three innings pulling away 8-2. Merrimack scored once more in the ninth off of a wild pitch, but it was not nearly enough to mount the comeback.
• Game two was the Flynn Howard show as he pitched all six innings of the game giving up just two earned runs while striking out six batters. Merrimack scored three times in the second inning to give Howard some breathing room on the mound. They tacked on another run in the fifth and then one more in the top of the sixth to go up 5-2. The Warriors stayed in full control before an unfortunate benches clearing altercation took place leading to a double forfeit, ending the game in the bottom of the sixth.
• James Nichols started on the mound in game three of the series and the righty was excellent in his stint. He pitched into the seventh inning letting up only one run on three hits. He got all the help he needed from the Warriors offense early on with a Jack Andrews two run shot in the fifth. Frankie Ferrentino drove in another run in the seventh and it was the Merrimack bullpen taking the Warriors the distance to hold the lead. Nick Hunkele and Cole Yennaco let up only two base runners in 2.2 innings of work. Yennaco walked away with his fourth save of the year and Merrimack took the series finale, 3-1.

 
Notes and Numbers

• Harry Painter finished the weekend with five hits
• Frankie Ferrentino drove in three runs on five hits in the three-game set
• Andrew Heffernan picked up a loss in game one and James Nichols secured a win in game three

 
 
Up Next
Merrimack will play their final midweek game of the season when they host Bryant on Tuesday May 6^th at 5:00 PM.
 
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