Worcester, Mass. (May 2) -- Led by a six-hit performance from sophomore Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass. / Shrewsbury), the Assumption College baseball team earned a split in Saturday's Senior Day doubleheader at Rocheleau Field. The Hounds fell in game one 5-2 before claiming a 12-6 win in game two following the day's senior presentation.

Seniors Kelvin Sims (Manchester, Conn. / East Catholic), Greg O'Donnell (Northbridge, Mass. / Northbridge), Billy Johnson (Auburn, Mass. / Holy Name) and Zack LaRosa (West Hartford, Conn. / Conard) were honored prior to the start of game two. 

Game One: Merrimack 5, Assumption 2

The Warriors took an early 1-0 lead, loading the bases in the top of the first on three-straight singles, including a bunt down the third-base line. The Hounds turned a double play for two outs but allowed one run to cross the plate for Merrimack's advantage.

Assumption tied it up and took the lead in the bottom of the third. Johnson led off with an infield single up the middle and advanced on a wild pitch to reach scoring position. Sophomore Matt Murphy (Wakefield, R.I. / Bishop Hendricken) followed with a single blast to right center to score Johnson for the equalizer, 1-1.

Murphy advanced to second on a balk before junior Michael Panza (West Haven, Conn. / Notre Dame) gounded out to send Murphy to third. An RBI groundout to short off the bat of junior catcher Tom Paine (Upton, Mass. / Nipmuc) plated Murphy for the 2-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth, Merrimack added another to tie up the score for the second time. With two outs, Ryan Petrone reached base on a single through the right side that took a hop just before Greyhound second baseman Sims could snag the grounder.

Merrimack's Petrone advanced to third on a hard single up the middle that just missed LaRosa before scoring during a run-down at first for the third out.

The Hounds threatened to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the frame, landing runners on first and third with two outs, but a high fly-out to third closed the inning to send Assumption back to the field, still 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, Merrimack loaded the bases on a hit batter, a Greyhound fielding error, and a bunted single between the third-base line and the mound. When Tyler Line, the first in the order, smacked a hard grounder to Murphy at short, Murphy turned the quick play at home to hold off the Warriors, Paine touching the plate to keep the score tied, 2-2. 

With the bases still loaded, LaRosa struck out Frank Crinella for the second out before reaching full count on Cam DiSarcina. LaRosa walked DiSarcina to plate Dionys Quezada, who reached on error, for the go-ahead run, 3-2.

In the top of the ninth, the Warriors added two more for the 5-2 final before freshman Nick Massarelli (Southwick, Mass. / Southwick) came in relief to close the inning.

Coggeshall led the Hounds with two hits in game one while Sims, Johnson and Murphy each added one for Assumption's total of five. Merrimack tallied 14 hits in game one in 37 at bats.

LaRosa takes the loss for the Hounds, giving up 14 hits in 8.2 innings while notching three strikeouts and allowing just four earned runs.

For the Warriors, PJ Browne earns the win, improving to 5-2 on the season giving up just five hits in 8.0 innings while striking out eight Greyhounds.

Game Two: Assumption 12, Merrimack 6

The Hounds got off to a strong start in game two, putting up three runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 3-0 lead. 

Panza walked to lead off and scored shortly thereafter to put the Hounds up 1-0. Paine, who followed Panza in the lineup, reached base on a single through the right side. An errant throw to first scored Panza, while Paine advanced to third on the attempted put-out at home.

With Paine on third, Coggeshall blasted a triple down the right-field line all the way to the fence, scoring Paine and putting the Hounds up 2-0.

Coggeshall scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Greg O'Donnell for the 3-0 lead.

The Warriors responded in the top of the second, scoring their first two batters in the lineup to narrow the gap, 3-2 Hounds. 

Merrimack added another in the top of the third to tie it up. Matt Nicholson doubled to left center and scored on a one-out, RBI groundout, 3-3.

The Hounds reclaimed the lead and broke the game open with two-straight extra-base hits to right field in the bottom of the third. 

Sophomore Ben O'Donnell (Northbridge, Mass. / Northbridge) tripled to right to score junior Colin Clancy (Chelmsford, Mass. / Chelmsford), who had walked. A double to right from Johnson followed, scoring O'Donnell before, with one out, Paine sent a sac fly to center to score Johnson for a three-run advantage, 6-3.

The Hounds extended the lead to six in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Andrew Jaehnig (Quincy, Mass. / Boston College) led off with a single through the right side to reach the bases. He advanced to second on a walk and scored on a two-out, single rip to right off the bat of Murphy, 7-3 Assumption. 

Clancy scored on a Panza single through left before Murphy crossed the plate on a fielder's choice, 9-3 Assumption.

Merrimack added a run to the board in the top of the sixth on a one-out single up the middle from Matt Dinello before Assumption tallied two more in the bottom of the frame.

A Jaehnig double scored Greg O'Donnell, who was hit by a pitch, before Johnson singled to right field with two outs to score Sims, who had pinch ran for Jaehnig, 11-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, Assumption added another when Paine doubled to center and scored on a Coggeshall single. Merrimack would score just two more in the final two innings for the 11-6 final.

The Greyhounds out-hit the Warriors 12-6 in game two, led by Coggeshall who went 4-for-5 at the plate. The sophomore tallied a single, a double and a triple, just a homer shy of a cycle. Murphy also performed well at the plate, going 3-for-4, while Johnson, Jaehnig and Paine each posted two hits in game two.

The Hounds blasted six extra-base hits including triples from Coggeshall and Ben O'Donnell and doubles from Paine, Coggeshall, Jaehnig and Johnson.

Junior Anthony Perry (Shrewsbury, Mass. / Saint John's) earns the win for the Hounds to improve to 2-6 on the season. He allowed just three earned runs on five hits in 6.1 innings while striking out two. Freshman Nick Massarelli (Southwick, Mass. / Southwick) relieved Perry and allowed just two hits in 1.2 innings before freshman Tom Horstkotte (Milford, Mass. / St. John's) pitched the final inning to close the game.

Each pitcher notched two strikeouts in the win for a combined total of six.

The Warriors sent five pitchers to the mound in attempt to halt the Greyhounds' momentum. Joe Velozo takes the loss after allowing six earned runs on eight hits in 4.0 innings.

The Greyhounds head into their final contest on Sunday at Rocheleau Field with a 9-26 record, 5-17 in the NE-10. Merrimack is now 17-17 on the season, 11-12 in the league. Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. against Bentley.

For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240.

Check out head coach Mike Rocco, senior Greg O'Donnell and sophomore Mike Coggeshall talk about Saturday's win!