Rams win first series of season

Dan Elson, Contributing writer

The Rams on Feb. 25 bounced back to beat the Merrimack Warriors 7-5 to secure their first series win on the season.The Rams are now 4-3 this season. 

“It’s always good to get a win and win a series,” fourth-year third baseman Brandon Eike said. “Bummed we couldn’t sweep. A series win is a win and that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Sunday, Feb. 25

The Rams were losing 2-0 and hitless through the first four innings of the game. The bottom of the fifth inning was the turning point.

The Warriors got off to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI single from graduate student shortstop Cavan Brady and a sacrifice fly RBI from designated second-year hitter Frankie Ferrentino. 

With a runner on second base in the top of the second inning, second-year Rams pitcher Maison Martinez came in to relieve Will Greer after he only pitched 1.1 innings. Martinez was able to get two quick outs.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, first-year Warriors pitcher Campbell Cassidy left the game after walking three batters in a row. The Rams scored their first run of the game on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 2-1. 

Second-year right fielder Aden Hill hit a sacrifice fly that scored redshirt fourth-year catcher Nic Ericsson to tie the game up at two. Later in the bottom of the fifth, graduate student outfielder Eli Weisner, who came in and pinched hit for the Rams, drove in two runs on an RBI single to make it a 5-2 ball game.  

Fourth-year third baseman Brandon Eike said that pinch-hit single gave the Rams momentum.

“That’s huge when we have guys that can come off the bench in a big situation and get a big knock for us,” Eike said. “That was a big jump for us there.”

In the top of the seventh, Merrimack scored two runs — one on a fielding error from fourth-year shortstop William Bean to shorten the lead to 7-4. 

Eike belted his fourth home run of the season into left-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Rams a 7-2 lead.

“He’s a really good player,” Rams head coach Bradley LeCroy said. “He’s an All-American and they’re pitching to him, and when they make a mistake he’s taking advantage of it.”

Martinez pitched 4.2 innings, struck out five batters and allowed three hits in relief. 

“I think just me going out there and putting up zeros really just kept us in this game and brought some energy in this dugout to heat up at-bats,” Martinez said.

Saturday, Feb. 24

The Rams struck first in the game off of an RBI double from fourth-year shortstop William Bean and VCU scored another run on a passed ball in the bottom of the first inning. 

In the top of the fourth inning, the Warriors scored three runs to take their first lead of the series on three hits to make the lead 4-2.

In a 9-9 game going into the top of the eighth, the Warriors scored five runs to extend the lead to 14-9.

The Warriors started off the eighth inning with back-to-back singles from second-year center fielder Hayden Bond and graduate student shortstop Cavan Brady. Bond scored on a passed ball from Rams pitcher Owen Tappy, who earned his first loss, which gave the Warriors a 10-9 lead. 

Warriors second-year left fielder Chris Goode extended the lead to 11-9 off an RBI single that scored Brady. Shortly after, the Warriors blew the game wide open when the ball got past redshirt fourth-year center fielder Cooper Benzin which allowed three runs to score. 

 Rams head coach Bradley LeCroy said the team didn’t throw enough strikes and execute pitches in the top of the eighth inning.

“We threw too many balls in the middle of the plate,” LeCroy said. “Give their hitters credit, they made us pay for it. And then we had a defensive miscue, and that led to a big inning.” 

LeCroy said he thought the Rams swung the bats “really well.”

“We scored 12 runs,” LeCroy said. “Anytime you score 12 runs, you probably should win the game. So offensively yesterday, we had a really good day.”

The Warriors rallied and defeated the Rams 16-12 to earn their first win of the season. 

Fourth-year third baseman Brandon Eike homered, doubled and knocked in four runs on the day. Third-year second baseman Casey Kleinman went three-for-four and scored two runs. Graduate student left fielder Ethan Iannuzzi finished the afternoon with a two-for-four day and had three RBIs. 

First-year infielder Dawson Bryce and Brady both produced three-hit games for the Warriors. Goode and second-year catcher Frankie Ferrentino both had multi-hit games for the Warriors. First-year pitcher Andrew Heffernan allowed seven runs in 3.2 innings pitched. Fourth-year pitcher Michael Dragon, who earned the win, struck out seven and gave up three runs in three innings. 

Friday, Feb. 23

The Rams blew out the Warriors 12-3 to take the first game of the series. The Warriors gave up 14 walks to the Rams — a season-high for Merrimack.

The Rams took advantage of the Warriors’ four errors in the first inning and scored three runs. The Warriors made five errors altogether. 

Rams head coach Bradley LeCroy said the team took advantage of the errors, walks and hit by pitches.

“We’re fortunate they gave us a bunch Friday and we took advantage of them and scored a lot of runs,” LeCroy said.

Graduate student left fielder Ethan Iannuzzi went two for three at the plate, drove in a run and scored twice. Fourth-year third baseman Brandon Eike and redshirt fourth-year Cooper Benzin combined for six walks. 

The Rams scored six runs in the bottom of the third inning to blow the game wide open. Redshirt fourth-year catcher Ericsson extended the lead to 4-0 off of a single that drove in Iannuzzi, who walked in his at-bat. 

Redshirt first-year outfielder and first baseman Devan Zirwas tripled to left center to drive in Ericsson and Benzin to extend the lead to 6-0. The Rams kept piling it on with an RBI single from third-year second baseman Casey Kleinman. 

Second-year shortstop Samuel Sherman scored the Warriors’ first run in the top of the fifth off of a single from outfielder Cam Marshall to cut the lead to 11-1.

First-year infielder Dawson Bryce reached on a fielder’s choice and first baseman Logan Castellano singled to the opposite field. Third-year catcher George Athanasiadis knocked both of them in which made it a 12-3 ball game in the top of the eighth inning. 

Pitcher Zachary Peters, who earned the win, pitched three scoreless innings and struck out three. The Rams bullpen gave up three runs in six innings. 

LeCroy said Peters made adjustments to his breaking ball.

“The biggest thing is he and coach Thompson, during his time off, worked on his breaking ball,” LeCroy noted. “It was a lot better Friday night. It was sharper, cleaner. So that was very effective for him.”