Skyhawks Shutout By Merrimack, 2-0
North Andover, Mass. - Merrimack junior Mike Coppinger outdueled Stonehill starter Mat Lindenmayer (Penfield, N.Y.), tossing a complete-game four-hitter, striking out nine in leading Merrimack to a 2-0 shutout victory over Stonehill on Thursday afternoon at Warrior Field.
Lindenmayer went 8.0 innings, giving up only three hits and two earned runs, but Coppinger was just as effective, striking out the side in the fourth, and getting key punchouts in the fifth and the eighth to collect his second win of the season.
Merrimack scored both runs in the sixth. With two outs and a runner on first, Jeff Bercume roped a triple to right field, breaking a scoreless tie. He then came around to score on a wild pitch.
Coppinger struck out six in the first four innings and shut down the Skyhawks' top third of the order, as they were 0-for-11 for the day.
Shane Franz (Cazenovia, N.Y.) and Matt Orr (Wilton, Conn.) each had doubles for Stonehill, while Dave Fradette (Goffstown, N.H.) and Rob Von Stein (Trumbull, Conn.) each collected base hits. Von Stein extended his hitting streak to seven games.
The loss for Stonehill was their fourth in a row and brings their record to 12-10 overall and 4-4 in the Northeast-10.