Forgione's Bases-Clearing Double Paces Baseball to Comeback Win vs. New Haven, 12-5
Links: Box Score (G1) | Box Score (G2)
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Facing a 5-3 deficit, redshirt-junior shortstop Mike Forgione (North Branford, Conn.) hit a two-out, three-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Merrimack College baseball team the lead for good in its 12-5 come-from-behind win on Saturday afternoon against the University of New Haven. The Chargers salvaged a split in the twin billing in game two, as the Navy and Gold went 3-1 over four games in two days.
The Basics
Score (G1): Merrimack 12, New Haven 5
Score (G2): New Haven 17, Merrimack 5
Records: Merrimack (17-10, 7-3 NE-10) | New Haven (10-12, 5-4 NE-10)
Location: Warrior Baseball Diamond | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened (G1)
Merrimack took an early lead in the opener, scoring runs in each of its first two plate appearances. With a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth, sophomore Anthony Lupi (Dover, N.H.) could not escape a two-on, zero-on situation as he surrendered a two-run double and sacrifice fly put the Chargers on top, 4-2. Junior Matt DiNello (Southington, Conn.) came on in relief and induced an inning-ending double play that began with a diving snag by Matthew Ronai (Orange, Conn.).
A home run in the top of the sixth pushed the New Haven advantage to 5-2, but the Warriors comeback started in the bottom half. Senior Matt Brown (Belmont, Mass.) reached on a double, advanced to third on a passed ball and came home on a single by Ronai. With two outs and the rookie on first, Pat Florence (Lowell, Mass.) landed a bloop single into shallow left field and Bobby Losanno (Peabody, Mass.) walked to load the bases.
Forgione plated them all with his two-bagger that reached the left-field wall. Tyler Lyne (Agawam, Mass.) responded with a double of his own and the Warriors led 7-5 after six innings.
DiNello pitched a scoreless seventh, but left the game in favor of Nate Spielvogel (Brookline, Mass.) after loading the bases with two outs in the eighth. Spielvogel fired a five-pitch strikeout to get out of the jam, the only batter he faced in the game. Merrimack's bats put up five runs between the seventh and eighth innings, including a two-run, stand-up triple from Lyne to put the game away, 12-5.
How It Happened (G2)
It was New Haven's turn to have its offense headline things in the nightcap. The Chargers scored nine unanswered runs between the first and third innings, giving starter Mike Schettino a comfortable lead. Five runs came across in the first, including a three-run home run from Joe Caico. Jack Zagaja's ran into the final out of the third inning, but not before his two-run single capped off the nine-run barrage.
Junior Joe Velozo (Tewksbury, Mass.) threw 4.2 innings of one-run baseball to settle things down and allow Merrimack to come within striking distance. The Warriors' first two runs of the game came in the fifth on a single from Cory Wasylow (Taunton, Mass.) and a double from Forgione.
After one run from New Haven made it 10-2, the Warriors plated three in the seventh to close the gap even further. Ricky Smith (Weymouth, Mass.) started the inning with a single and Wasylow followed with a double. Losanno stroked a triple to left field to score both runners, and trotted 90 feet home on a groundout by Forgione.
Seven runs between the eighth and ninth frames for New Haven put the margin out of reach. The Chargers finished with 17 runs on 19 hits, with Zagaja knocking in eight runs as part of a 5-for-6 day.
Inside The Numbers
- Top of the order gets it done: Forgione and Lyne, Merrimack's first and second hitters, respectively, combined for four hits, six RBI and four runs between the two of them
- Five Warriors posted two-hit games in the first contest, with Brown, Florence and Losanno joining Forgione and Lyne
- DiNello's final line (W, 1-0): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K's
- Wasylow made his third start of the season in second contest, setting a career high with three hits in the game, including his first career double
Up Next
The Navy and Gold begin a six-game week, all of which are divisional games, on Monday afternoon out in Waltham against Bentley University at 3:30 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for April 5, but was postponed due to unplayable field conditions.
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