Merrimack Was The Choice From The Beginning For Riley

Lucas Riley LHP / 1B / Oliver Ames , MA / 2024

SOUTH EASTON, Ma. - When you know, you know. That was the case for Lucas Riley.

“Once Merrimack reached out I knew they were my school,” the Oliver Ames High School senior said. “When they offered, I accepted the next day.”

Interest in the 2024 left-handed pitcher began at the GBG Scout Day back in March.

“That’s when they first saw me doing baseball drills and a mini-game,” Riley related. “After that they followed me throughout the summer.”

Riley found what he was in search of when it came to a future college.

“I’ve never been looking for a big campus,” Riley noted. “It was very nice, but not too big. I knew it was for me. I liked that all the athletic complexes were in one spot so it was very easy to walk around.”

The one hour distance from home helped make it the “perfect spot” in the eyes of the 18-year-old from South Easton.

“I started thinking about college baseball at the end of my sophomore spring season going into summer,” Riley reflected. “I started varsity and once I found success there I figured I could make it to the next level. At the beginning of this past summer when schools showed interest it became a reality.”

Merrimack saw a lot of promise in the 5-11 195-pound southpaw.

“They like my mix between my fastball and slider,” Riley said. “How I throw strikes and consistently get them by batters.”

The recruiting process “started very quiet” according to Riley.

“I went to two or three PBR showcases to help me get video out there,” noted Riley, who had an offer from Bridgewater State and interest from UMass Amherst and Salve Regina before Merrimack became the school of choice. “I played in the PBR National Championship in Georgia and coaches started talking to me after that, so that really helped.”

Improvement also played a part in getting noticed.

“Since last summer my fastball is up seven or eight miles an hour so that helps, especially being a lefty,” Riley said. “I’ve also dialed in my command to get more people out.”

Riley pointed to assistance he was given as very important in his baseball journey.

“PBR made a big impact in helping me get video out and my coach, Chris Welch with GBG, helped with contacting coaches,” pointed out the Oliver Ames senior.

Riley, who calls himself “a consistent lefty pitcher not afraid to throw the ball by hitters and get outs,” admitted a commitment was an exciting as well as a relieving feeling.

“The recruiting process was stressful,” Riley related. “Now that it’s over I’m happy where I’m going.”

A 3.35 student with expectations to major in business administration, Riley is exhilarated in thinking about a future at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference university located in North Andover, Ma.

“I’ve always liked playing with players that have a similar mindset as me,” Riley concluded. “I’m looking forward to competing with the best players around.”