Junior Billy Karalis went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored to lead the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Brown's pinch-hit walk-off double lifts the Warriors over the Skyhawks

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (May 3, 2013) – The Stonehill College baseball team fell to the Merrimack College Warriors, 4-3 in a Northeast-10 Conference showdown at Warrior Diamond on the campus of Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass.

Freshman Matt Brown (Belmont, Mass./Belmont/Worcester Academy) led the way for the Warriors, registering a double and two-RBI in his only at bat. Senior Casey Cotter (North Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet/Dean Community College) also paced the Warriors, going 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, a walk, and a RBI.

Junior Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) went 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored to lead the Skyhawks. Freshman Brian Campbell (Franklin, Mass./Mount Saint Charles) chipped in with two hits and a RBI of his own for Stonehill.

Senior relief pitcher Beau Batchelor (Peabody, Mass./Austin Prep) pitched two innings and earned the victory for the Warriors. Batchelor gave up an earned run on three hits, while striking out two to earn the win. Starter Alex Morency (Nashua, N.H./Nashua North) went seven innings but earned a no-decision. Morency yielded two earned runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out five.

Sophomore Steve Pike (Stoughton, Mass./Catholic Memorial) was tagged with the loss in 1.2 innings of relief. Pike gave up two earned runs on two hits and two walks in the loss. Classmate Jim Duff (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) got the start and yielded six hits and two earned runs in seven innings, but took a no-decision.

The Skyhawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. With the bases loaded and one out in the inning after two singles and a walk, Campbell hit a single through the right side to drive in the first run of the game.

Senior Michael Zeiner successfully performed a suicide squeeze to put Stonehill ahead 3-2 in the top of the ninth (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Merrimack responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take its first lead. After a Mike Forgione (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) single and an Alan Pastyrnak Jr. (Bristol Conn./Bristol Eastern/Northeastern) walk, Bobby Losanno (Peabody, Mass./Peabody) singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Forgione scored on the play to make it 1-1. Two batters later Cotter singled to right field to bring home Pastyrnak Jr. for the Warrior's second run.

Stonehill quickly responded with a run in the top of the seventh to tie the score at two. With Anthony Pagano (Cranston, R.I./Cranston West) on second base after a leadoff double, Karalis drove him in when he singled through the right side, tying the score at 2-2.

The Skyhawks regained the lead in the top of the ninth. After Karalis singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a single by Christian Baglini (Milford, Conn./Notre Dame High), senior captain Michael Zeiner (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) successfully performed a suicide squeeze to score Karalis for the go-ahead run.

The Warriors refused to lose, scoring two runs in the ninth to take the victory. With runners on second and third, Brown pinch hit for John Pastyrnak (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern). Brown laced a double to right field to score the game-tying and game-winning runs.

With the loss the Skyhawks have been officially eliminated for Northeast-10 Conference postseason play. The Skyhawks (22-21, 8-11) and Warriors (25-16, 11-8) will play games on Saturday and Sunday to close the regular season. Tomorrow's game kicks off at 3:30 at Warrior Diamond with Zach Soulier (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) set to take the mound for Stonehill

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