Pair play big roles in 2-1 start for the Ravens

RINDGE, N.H. (March 17, 2003) -Two members of the Franklin Pierce baseball team, receiving votes in the Collegiate Baseball magazine and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II preseason polls, earned weekly awards by the Northeast-10 Conference this afternoon.

Junior right-hander Matt Weagle (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) was named the Conference's Pitcher of the Week, while freshman Shawn Hayes (Charlton, Mass./Holy Name) was selected as its Freshman of the Week.

For Weagle, it marks his third NE-10 Pitcher of the Week honor, as posted a complete game victory against Caldwell College last night at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Weagle allowed just one earned run on five hits with ten strikeouts and no walks over nine innings in his spring debut. It marks his fifth-straight winning decision dating back to last season and marks the third time in his career he has reached double-digits in strikeouts.

Weagle, ranked the No. 4 Pro Prospect in Division II by Baseball America last month, currently ranks second in program history with a 4.36 career earned run average, third with 164 strikeouts, fourth with 11 complete games and fifth with 11 wins and 163.2 innings pitched.

Weagle earned ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region and All-Conference honors as a freshman when he posted a 6-1 record with a 4.07 ERA, 62 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 73 innings. Last spring he was 4-5 with a 4.96 ERA, 92 strikeouts and 27 walks in 81.2 innings, but won his last four decisions, posting a 2.32 ERA and 51 strikeouts, just 13 walks, over his final 42.2 innings of work.

Hayes picks up his first Freshman of the Week selection after he hit .429 (3-7) in the Ravens first three games of the season. He was 2-3 with a run scored in last night's 2-1 win over Caldwell.

Hayes has taken over the starting shortstop spot for the Ravens this season after it was filled for all but four games over the last four years by Scott Loiseau, an All-Region honoree. Hayes, a Worcester Telegram & Gazette All-Star, has also played well in the field for the Ravens through three games.

Franklin Pierce (2-1) is in action today in a doubleheader with New Jersey Institute of Technology, which began at 9 a.m. The Ravens are off on Tuesday before a morning twinbill with University of North Dakota on Wednesday at 9 a.m.