ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – With the series tied at one game apiece, visiting Merrimack took the nightcap of a Sunday doubleheader to win a weekend three-game set vs. the St. Bonaventure baseball team inside Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field.
Merrimack won the opener and the finale while the Bonnies grabbed the middle game.
Game 1 – Merrimack 8, St. Bonaventure 4 | Box Score (PDF)
Merrimack captured the series-opener Saturday through the rain at a windswept Handler Park.
The Warriors pushed across a run in each the first and third innings for a 2-0 lead, but the Bonnies would equal the score in the home half of the third. Jake Biscailuz brought the first run in on a fielder's choice and a Merrimack balk forced in the tying score.
Unfortunately for the Bonnies, Merrimack would break the game open with a six-run fifth, with the biggest blow coming in the form of a two-run double off the bat of Ben Nelson.
From there, Merrimack starter Justin Butera (1-0) was in control, tossing seven strong innings of two-run ball.
Bona's would grab two runs in the ninth, including run scoring hits from Jack Putney and Jackson DeJohn, but it would not be enough to rally back.
Andrew Ayers had his strongest outing of the season, tossing a career-high 4.2 scoreless innings in relief. The freshman lefty allowed just three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four.
Game 2 – St. Bonaventure 2, Merrimack 1 (7 innings) | Box Score (PDF)
St. Bonaventure used great pitching and timely hitting to win the scheduled seven inning opener of Sunday's doubleheader.
The Bonnies started the scoring in the third as Adam Rankie beat out an infield hit to the right side, scoring Chris Hoalcraft from third. Jackson DeJohn plated another later in the frame with a double to right.
Merrimack got a run back in the very next frame as Michael Golankiewicz used the wind blowing out to right for a homer on the first pitch of the fourth to cut the Bona's lead in half.
The Warriors had their best chance to even the score in the sixth, loading the bases with one out.
Liam Devine worked out of the jam, coaxing a pop out before recording a strike out to retire the side.
Devine set down the Warriors in order in the seventh to lock down the win, picking up his third save of the year.
Tripp Breen set the tone, striking out a career-high eight batters in his five-plus innings of work. The Bonnies starter earned his first win of the year by scattering seven hits and allowing one run without walking a single batter and throwing 48 of his 68 pitches for strikes.
Breen and Devine combined for 10 strikeouts and no walks.Â
Game 3 – Merrimack 16, St. Bonaventure 4 (7 innings) | Box Score (PDF)
Two huge innings paved the way for victory as Merrimack captured the rubber game.
Merrimack (4-14) grabbed the lead with a run in the first on a one-out double by Golankiewicz.
The Bonnies immediately answered, plating two in their first at-bat thanks to a double into the left-centerfield gap from Mark Darakjy.
Merrimack roared ahead in the third, though, by batting around and plating seven runs for an 8-2 score.
SBU tried chipping away, getting two back on a run-scoring single from Christian Szablewski and a sac fly off the bat of Daraky in the third.
The visitors ended thoughts of a rally with another big inning, scoring six times in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.
Darakjy and Adam Rankie each had two hits apiece for the Bonnies.
St. Bonaventure (3-15) opens Atlantic 10 play at VCU with the three-game series in Richmond getting underway Friday evening at 6 p.m.
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