University of Massachusets Athletics
Baseball Wins Second Consecutive Against Merrimack, 11-4
March 13, 2021 | Baseball
Plate discipline, Steele's 7.0 innings of work guide Minutemen to victory
Three Minutemen provided multi-hit outings while the team drew 10 walks on the game. Jack Steele took the mound and provided a quality outing with only three hits and one walk allowed in seven innings, four runs given up (three earned) and six strikeouts.
Designated hitter Mike Gervasi, shortstop Nolan Tichy and third baseman Aidan Wilde had two hits apiece, including a double each by Gervasi and Wilde, and a triple by Tichy.
Wilde finished with a team- and game-high four RBIs and reached base a third time on a walk. Left fielder Michael Rounds drew a walk in all four plate appearances while Eddy Hart also reached during all three at bats via two bases on balls and a single.
Merrimack struck to a one run lead in the second, but the Warriors' advantage lasted less than a half-inning as the Minutemen put up four in the third.
Dylan Judd evened the game at 1-all with a sacrifice flyout to right field before Wilde's run-scoring groundout pushed Massachusetts in front, 2-1. Steve Luttazi ripped a single up the middle for the team's third run before Tichy's RBI three-bagger bumped the lead to 4-1.
The Minutemen padded their advantage one inning later with a two-run fourth frame. Wilde picked up his second RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly and Gervasi platted Kevin Skagerlind on a single for the 6-1 margin.
Massachusetts extended its lead to 10-1 during the fifth inning. Judd's patience at the plate paid dividends as he drew a full-count, bases-loaded walk before Wilde's two-run double made it 9-1 Minutemen. Judd later scored on a Merrimack fielding error for the team's 10th run.
Daniel Livnat relieved Steele for the eighth and ninth innings and limited Merrimack to one hit while he struck out two.
The Minutemen are now 4-2 on the season with one more against Merrimack on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Follow Massachusetts baseball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@UMassBaseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Steele, Jack (2-0)
L: Amidon, D. (0-2)

Batting:
2B: Skagerlind, Kevin 1 ; Wilde, Aidan 1 ; Gervasi, Mike 1
3B: Tichy, Nolan 1
RBI: Judd, Dylan 2 ; Wilde, Aidan 4 ; Gervasi, Mike 1 ; Luttazi, Steve 1 ; Tichy, Nolan 1
SF: Judd, Dylan 1 ; Wilde, Aidan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hart, Eddy 3 ; Skagerlind, Kevin 2 ; Judd, Dylan 1 ; Gervasi, Mike 1 ; Luttazi, Steve 1 ; Tichy, Nolan 1 ; Rounds, Michael 1 ; Gower, Kevin 1
SB: Hart, Eddy 1 ; Skagerlind, Kevin 2 ; Luttazi, Steve 1
HBP: Hart, Eddy 1 ; Whorf, Jack 1

Batting:
2B: Shumski, N. 1
RBI: Porricelli, J. 1 ; Shumski, N. 2 ; Joyce, T. 1
SF: Joyce, T. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Porricelli, J. 1 ; Skurbe, B. 1 ; Joyce, T. 1 ; Jamele, M. 1
HBP: Shumski, N. 1 ; Nelson, B. 1 ; Jamele, M. 1