Callahan caps three-run ninth inning rally with sac fly

RINDGE, N.H. (May 3, 2002) - Franklin Pierce rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to eliminate American International College from postseason contention with a 10-9 victory in Northeast-10 Conference baseball action at Crystal Field this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce trailed 9-7 entering the bottom of the ninth and got a leadoff single from freshman Bear Dunn (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) and a bunt single from senior Eric Burney (Rockville, Conn./Rockville) to put the tying run on base with no outs. Senior Scott Loiseau (Worcester, Mass./St. Peter Marian) followed with a single that drove in Dunn. Burney scored on the same play when the throw attempting to get him out a third squirted through the third baseman's legs, which also allowed Loiseau to reach third with no outs.

AIC chose to intentionally walk the next two batters to face sophomore Dante Blancarte (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury), who flew out to left. Senior Mike Callahan (Worcester, Mass./St. Peter Marian) followed with a sacrifice fly to center that was deep enough to score Loiseau with the winning run.

AIC scored all nine of its runs in the first four innings and held a 9-4 lead at that point. Five of the Yellow Jackets runs were unearned, including three of their four in the fourth.

The two teams traded solo homers in the first, before AIC scored four in the second to take a 5-1 lead. Junior Dave Guzman belted a two-run double to spark the frame and Jeff Bourque and Tim Levy added sac flies.

Franklin Pierce closed the gap to 5-4 with three in the bottom of the second. Chris Shank (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont Regional) belted a leadoff homer and Loiseau added an RBI single.

After a scoreless third, AIC put four more runs up in the fourth. Freshman Scott Houghton drove in a run with a ground out, then two Franklin Pierce errors and two wild pitches led to three unearned runs.

The Ravens got two runs back in the bottom of the frame as Callahan and Shank each laced RBI singles. Franklin Pierce crept to within two runs after a Shank sac fly in the sixth.

Loiseau led the Ravens offense as he finished a perfect five-for-five at the plate with a walk, a homerun, three runs scored and three RBIs. Shank was 2-4 with a homer and three RBIs, while Callahan hit 2-4 with two RBIs. Burney and junior Paul McAuliffe (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) each chipped in two hits for FPC. The Ravens finished the game with 14 runners left on base for the day.

Junior right-handerJon White (Medford, Mass./Arlington Catholic) became the first pitcher in Franklin Pierce history to win nine games in a season as he improved to 9-3 with his fourth complete game effort of the season. White settled down after a rough start to retire the last 16 batters he faced to allow the Ravens a chance to comeback. He allowed nine runs, just four earned, on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks for the afternoon.

Guzman led AIC as he was 2-4 with a double, a stolen base, two runs scored and two RBIs. Junior Josh Bartlett finished 2-4 with a run scored, while Levy was 1-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Yellow Jackets reliever Dave Maloney suffered the loss as he yielded four earned runs on five hits with one strikeout and four walks (two intentional) in 4.2 innings of work.

The win, coupled with Southern Connecticut State's 11-0 loss to Markey Division-leading Bryant College this afternoon, puts Franklin Pierce a full game in the loss column ahead of the Owls for the third and final playoff spot in the Division. The Ravens still trail Bryant by two games in the loss column and Saint Rose by one with three games remaining.

Franklin Pierce (26-16, 19-10 NE-10), which establishes new team records for overall and Conference victories with today's win, and American International (18-22, 13-15 NE-10) continue their four-game weekend series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader in Springfield, Mass., beginning at noon. The two clubs wrap up the series on Sunday at Crystal Field at 1 p.m.

Batteries:
AIC: Lary Lovett, Dave Maloney (5th) and Josh Bartlett
FP: Jon White and Eric Cavers

WP: White (9-3)
LP: Maloney (2-5)
HR: Levy (2); Loiseau (9); Shank (7).