SNHU’s Welch tosses complete-game shutout
When and Where: February 25, 2023 – Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Griffith Field)
Game 1 Score: Southern New Hampshire University 12, Mercy College 8
Game 1 Score: Southern New Hampshire University 13, Mercy College 0
Records: SNHU 6-1, Mercy 2-7
Junior Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.) hit a grand slam in game one and fellow junior George Welch (Derry, N.H.) twirled a complete-game, one-hit shutout in game two, as the No. 6/9 Southern New Hampshire University baseball team swept a doubleheader from Mercy College on Saturday at Griffith Field in Myrtle Beach.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Caraher – 2-5, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB
- Welch (2-0) – 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, career-high 12 K (game 2)
- Junior Cristian Mercedes (Providence, R.I.) – 4-6, 4 R, 3 RBI, BB
- Senior Jeffrey Praml (Bridgewater, N.J.; 2-0) – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (game 1)
KEY MOMENTS – GAME 1
- Mercy grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the second with a three-run homer off the bat of Gabe Sanders.
- Southern New Hampshire would get two back in the home half on a two-out double to right from freshman Jake Pisano (Hamden, Conn.).
- SNHU would erupt for nine runs in the seventh. An RBI single from junior Danniel Rivera (New Britain, Conn.), a two-run single by Mercedes and another RBI base knock from junior Mike LaRocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) flipped the Penmen into the lead at 6-3. Sophomore Harry Vargas Segura (Bronx, N.Y.) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate another run and knock the Mercy reliever from the game before Caraher smashed a two-out grand slam to right that made it 11-3.
- The Penmen would need most of those, as Mercy scored three in the eighth, before sophomore Zachary Ranney (Wallingford, Conn.) extended the SNHU lead to 12-6 with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning.
- Mercy would add a pair in the ninth, but would leave a runner to end the rally.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE – GAME 1
- Mercedes went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.
- Caraher was 2-for-3 with the grand slam, a walk, four RBI and three runs scored.
- Pisano (walk, two RBI, run) and sophomore Gabe Passey (Moses Lake, Wash.; run) were each 1-for-3.
- LaRocca finished 1-for-4 with an RBI.
- Rivera was 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Sophomore John Chacho (Seymour, Conn.) allowed three runs on three hits and pair of walks in two-thirds of an inning.
- Freshman Jake Risedorf (Barkhamsted, Conn.) gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in an inning and a third.
KEY MOMENTS – GAME 2
- Southern New Hampshire scored two in the top of the first and six in the second to jump out to an 8-0 lead. Unbelievably, the Penmen did all that damage with just one hit – an infield single – as they took advantage of four walks, four hit batters, three wild pitches and two passed balls.
- SNHU scored two more in the fifth and two again in the sixth, as an RBI single to left from Dyrenson Wouters (Oranjestad, Aruba) and a sacrifice fly by sophomore Jake Ranney (Wallingford, Conn.) ran the score to 12-0.
- Wouters added an RBI fielder’s choice in the ninth to cap the scoring.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE – GAME 2
- Freshman Kyle Lavigne (Bedford, N.H.) was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
- Wouters finished 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI.
- LaRocca was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Rivera went 0-for-1, but walked twice, scored twice and drove in a run.
- Mercedes was also 0-for-1, but walked, scored twice and collected an RBI.
- Junior Nick Schwartz (Massapequa, N.Y.) finished 0-for-2, but drove in a pair and scored a run.
- Risedorf and junior Dylan O’Sullivan (Manchester, N.H.) were both 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored.
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire, ranked sixth in the Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season NCAA Division II Poll and ninth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Top 25, is 6-1 to begin the season for the second straight year.
- SNHU is now a perfect 14-0 against Mercy all-time. Despite the eight runs in game one being the most Mercy had ever scored against SNHU, the Penmen are outscoring the Mavericks, 145-33.
- In 12 innings over two starts this season, Welch is 2-0, has allowed just three hits, has yet to relinquish a run and owns a 22/3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
UP NEXT
- The Penmen wrap up their Myrtle Beach trip Sunday (Feb. 26) at 9 a.m. when they take on St. Thomas Aquinas College at the Polo Grounds.
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