Monte rips his second homerun of the season

WESTWOOD, Mass. (April 7, 2017) – The Stonehill College baseball team fell to Merrimack, 10-4 in its first of a three-game series Friday afternoon at Xaverian Brothers High School.

Ben Monte (New Haven, Connecticut/Guilford) batted 2-for-4 with one run scored, one RBI and his second homerun of the season, while Patrick Downey (Cheshire, Connecticut/Xavier) and Joe Klingensmith (Topsfield, Massachusetts/Masconomet) went 2-for-5 in the afternoon. Downey tallied one RBI, as Klingensmith scored one run and hit his third double of the season.

The Warriors' bats were alive in the first three innings as nine hits scored seven runs for an early 7-0 lead. Merrimack's Anthony Lupi was able to contain the Skyhawks to two hits in the first three innings and two strikeouts dominating on the mound, shutting out Stonehill for the first four innings.

The Skyhawks connected in the top of the fifth as Klingensmith doubled to right field, followed by advancing to third on a ground out. Klingensmith scored, as Harrison Sabo (Wilton, Connecticut/Wilton) grounded out to second base, cutting the deficit to six, 7-1.

Freshman Chris Murphy (Swampscott, Massachusetts/St. John's Prep) shut down the Warriors in the bottom of the frame, striking out two batters and leaving runners on second and third at the completion of the inning.

Stonehill drove in another run in the top of the sixth as Monte lifted the ball over the right field fence for his second homerun of the season, cutting the lead to five for Merrimack, 7-2.

The Warriors responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame, scoring Cam DiSarcina on a fielder's choice from Matthew Ronai, advancing Matt Nicholson to third, as Mike Hoalcraft was out on the play at second, 8-2.

The Skyhawks got another run across the plate in the top of the seventh with one out. Sabo singled to left field and advanced on a ground out, as Rocco moved him to third on a single through the left side. Downey roped another single to left field scoring Sabo from third and advancing Monte to second, 8-3. Merrimack followed with another run, extending its lead back to six, 9-3, as Joey Porricelli singled to center field driving Tyler Lyne home from second.

The eighth inning was the same, as both teams picked up another run, 10-4. The Skyhawks scored off a double from Alex Hurley (Rumford, Rhode Island/Worcester Academy) for his second double  and fourth RBI of the season. The Warriors tallied its run with a single up the middle from Ricky Smith, scoring Hoalcraft from third. Perry Kulaga left Justin Nicklas (Foxboro, Massachusetts/St. Sebastian's) on third base in the top of the ninth, as he got the Skyhawks to line out, ground out and strike out to close the game.

The Skyhawks (7-14, 2-2 NE10) battle Merrimack College tomorrow, Saturday April 8 in a doubleheader at Xaverian Brothers High School with a first pitch slated for 11:00 a.m.

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