Colby Barker pitched seven scoreless innings in relief as the Merrimack Warriors secured a 4-3 victory against the Iona Gaels on March 13. Barker entered the game in the third inning and remained on the mound until recording the final out, striking out four batters and allowing only three hits.
Barker’s performance improved his season record to 4-0, which ties him for first in the nation in wins. The Warriors established an early lead by scoring four runs in the first inning. Greg Cristino contributed with a single through the left side that drove in two runs.
Brooks Craigue followed with an RBI single, and Jack Andrews added a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 4-0. Freshman Garrett McGovern reached base twice during the game, both times with singles.
The close contest saw no further scoring from either team after the opening frame, with Barker shutting down Iona’s offense for seven consecutive innings. The teams are scheduled to play again tomorrow at 1 p.m.
The result highlights Barker’s strong start to the season and sets up another matchup between Merrimack and Iona as both teams look to build momentum.
