The Siena Baseball bats capped a torrid week with another double-digit scoring deluge at the plate, and the arms finished the job on the mound, as the Saints bounced back to run-rule Merrimack 10-0 in eight innings in the decisive rubber game to claim their first series victory of 2025.
Siena (9-20, 5-7), which had entered the week averaging just 4.0 runs while cracking double digits just three times spanning their first 25 games, scored in double figures for the third time this week. The Saints racked up 14 more hits Sunday afternoon, while finishing with an even 40 runs scored over four games for the week.
For the second straight day, Siena scored multiple runs in each of the first three innings to claim a commanding early advantage. But unlike Saturday when Merrimack (10-21-1, 7-8) overcame an 11-0 deficit through three and a 13-3 margin heading into the home half of the seventh to score a stunning comeback,
Holden Phelps and the Saints weren't about to let history repeat itself.
Phelps struck out a season-high seven batters over a season-high tying seven innings, and partnered with
Evan Saulys – who recorded a 1-2-3 run-rule invoking eighth – to secure the first Siena combined shutout of the spring, forging a big bounce back effort by the pitching staff just a day after allowing a season-high tying 16 runs.
Noah Brooks capped a tone-setting, four-run first with a two-run single, and
Gavin Thorburn delivered a two-run second inning double for the Saints who ultimately opened a 9-0 lead in the third. Thorburn reached base safely in all five plate appearances, going 3-3 with three runs scored and a game-high three RBI.
Owen Pincince added a three-hit performance with a pair of doubles out of the nine-hole for Siena which posted its second mercy-rule victory of the season, and first in MAAC action in two years dating back to a 15-3 win at Saint Peter's in eight innings on May 7, 2023.
Following what they hope will be a momentum-building 3-1 week, the Saints return to action next weekend when they host defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Champion Niagara for a three-game series beginning Friday at 3 p.m. at Connors Park.
