Merrimack Baseball Gears Up For First MAAC Tournament Appearance

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY -- The Merrimack College baseball team will take the diamond at Heritage Financial Park where the fourth-seeded Warriors host No. 5 Canisius in the opening round of the MAAC Baseball Championships on Wednesday.

It marks the first MAAC tournament game for the program, which went 20-10 in conference play this season. The Warriors enter the postseason having won their last 10 conference games, emerging victorious in their last four series against conference foes.

The Warriors received a respectable amount of recognition following the regular season with Merrimack head coach Brian Murphy winning MAAC Coach of the Year as well as Matt DeShiro and Joey Frammartino named All-MAAC First Team. 

DeShiro, who bats lead off and plays second base, leads the conference in multiple categories such as runs (60), hits (75) and at-bats (234). Arguably his most impressive feat of the season, DeShiro tallied a 39-game on-base streak, including a 23-game hit streak. He enters the postseason with a .322 batting average and .399 OBP. On top of all the accolades at the plate, DeShiro has served as one of the best fielders in the conference (.996 percentage). 

Frammartino paces the Warriors in OPS (.975), OBP (.481) and walks (47), which is the program record. The right fielder comes into the tournament with a .323 batting average and 52 RBI, which is the third most in the conference. The Endicott transfer has also hit seven long balls and ten doubles. 

Merrimack also had power-hitting first baseman Greg Cristino selected to the All-MAAC Second Team while freshman catcher Garrett McGovern earned MAAC All-Rookie honors. 

Cristino found his way all over the MAAC leaderboard this season. He led the conference in RBI (54), slugging (.560) and doubles (18). The Pennsylvania native is also tied for second in home runs (13) and is in second in at-bats (222). Cristino earned conference and national honors two weeks ago after he tallied 11 hits, 10 RBI, four doubles and four home runs in just four games. He also leads the conference defensively in putouts (466) and double plays (38).

It took no time for McGovern to get adjusted to collegiate ball as he currently leads the Warriors in batting average (.323). Though only appearing in 39 games this season, McGovern has recorded 42 hits, 24 RBI, nine doubles and one home run, which came over the past weekend against Quinnipiac. McGovern has been a lock behind the plate as well, throwing out conference-best 20 runners on attempted steals.

Jack Andrews has been another Warrior to make an impact. Andrews, who was named the MAAC Player of the Week last week, totaled seven hits, eight RBI and four stolen bases. He helped carry the Warriors to a weekend sweep over Saint Peter's. 

Jayden Hamilton has silently found himself as one of the Warriors biggest contributors during the regular season. With a .319 batting average, Hamilton has recorded the second-most hits on the team (66). He has driven in 39 runs and walked 27 times. Hamilton has tallied at least two hits in each of his last eight games and carries an 11-game hit streak into the postseason. 

Brooks Craigue is one of five Merrimack batters to be hitting over .300. Craigue enters the conference tournament with 61 hits, 12 doubles, and five long balls. Craigue has also been perfect on the base paths (9-for-9 in steal attempts). 

The Warriors have had standout performances elsewhere on the diamond, as well.

Colby Barker, who leads the conference in wins (eight), has pitched a total of 66.2 innings. Barker struck out 51 batters while allowing a .245 average during the regular season. 

Nick Hunkele has struck out 57 batters in 59.1 innings. Hunkele found his stride last month with two consecutive outings of eight innings pitched. Hunkele has limited opponents to a .237 batting average, which ranked fourth in the MAAC.

Michael Bradshaw earned his seventh win last weekend, which is tied for second-most in the conference behind Barker. In 22 appearances this season, Bradshaw pitched 40.2 innings. A highlight of the season in March, Bradshaw pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball to earn a win over defending CAA champion Northeastern. 

Super utility player Cole Yennaco has racked up seven saves this season, which is the fourth-most in the MAAC. Yennaco has pitched 25.2 innings in 19 appearances.