Highlanders rally in the seventh in game one NJIT wins fog-shortened nightcap to complete sweep

NEWARK, N.J. (March 5, 2004) - Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 24 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) Division II poll, got its season off to a rough start as it was swept by New Jersey Institute of Technology in a non-conference baseball doubleheader tonight.

Franklin Pierce dropped its first season opener since the 2000 season as New Jersey Tech rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to win game one of the twinbill, before holding on for a 4-3 win in the nightcap in a game called in the fifth due to fog.

In game one, NJIT scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh as Franklin Pierce freshman reliever Neil Cacciola (North Andover, Mass./Wakefield) unleashed a wild pitch that scored Highlander senior Chris Schwartz (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional). Schwarz reached on a single after sophomore Justin Racz (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) led off the inning with a walk and later scored on an error to knot the score at seven.       

Franklin Pierce had opened a 7-3 lead in the top of the sixth as junior Eric Cavers (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) laced an RBI single, followed by a two-run safety by sophomore Elliott Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant).

The Highlanders drew within a run in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore Rob Forbes (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) belted a three-run homer. NJIT also got a three-run bomb from junior catcher Philip Resciniti (East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park) in the bottom of the fourth, which cut a 4-0 Ravens lead to a run.

Franklin Pierce sophomore right-hander Tyler Cummings (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) suffered the loss, ending his streak of five-straight victories which closed out the 2003 season, as he was touched for eight runs, six earned, on six hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.

Cavers finished 2-for-3 for the Ravens with two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base. The steal was the 36^th of his career surpassing former teammate Dan Close for the career record at the College. Shea was also 2-3 with two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base. Senior Dante Blancarte (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury) finished 2-4 with a double and three RBI.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Batteries:
FP - Tyler Cummings, Neil Cacciola (7) and Eric Cavers.
NJIT - Zach Porcello and Philip Resciniti.  

WP: Porcello (1-0)
LP: Cummings (0-1)
HR: Resciniti and Forbes

In the nightcap, which was called after four and a half innings due to heavy fog, NJIT jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held on for the victory.

Junior Dan Lupo (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) put the Highlanders ahead with a two-run single in the bottom of the first. After Franklin Pierce closed within a run in the second, the Highlanders got another pair in the third. Lupo added another RBI single after sophomore Chris Legiadre (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) drove in Schwartz, who had led off the frame with a double.

The Ravens closed to within a run again in the top of the fourth as sophomore Shawn Hayes (Charlton, Mass./Holy Name) walked and classmate Mike Feetham (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) followed with a single. The pair scored when a fly ball off Nick Panza's (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) bat was dropped in the outfield.

Junior Ryan Bowling (Cedar Springs, Mich./Muskegon CC) suffered the loss as he allowed four runs, just two earned, on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts over four innings in his Franklin Pierce debut.

Feetham sparked the offense by hitting 2-2 with a run scored, while Blancarte finished 1-2 with a double. 

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Batteries:
FP - Ryan Bowling and Eric Cavers.
NJIT - Dan Raczynski and Philip Resciniti.  

WP: Raczynski (1-0)
LP: Bowling (0-1)

Franklin Pierce (0-2) returns to action tomorrow for a doubleheader at Caldwell College beginning at noon. The Ravens and NJIT (2-1) round out the weekend with another twinbill Sunday at 1 p.m.