Ravens register 27 combined hits in posting first ever DH sweep at UML

LOWELL, Mass. (April 17, 2004) - Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 8 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Northeast Region poll, posted its first ever doubleheader sweep of UMass Lowell, ranked sixth in the region, in Northeast-10 Conference baseball action at LeLacheur Park this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce, which has won three-straight and six of its last seven, posted a 4-1 victory in game one before rapping a season-high matching 16 hits in claiming a 9-3 decision in the nightcap. UMass Lowell has now dropped four-straight games to Conference opposition for the first time in program history and four-straight to Northeast Region teams for the first time since 1999.            

In game one, Franklin Pierce junior right-hander Ryan Bowling (Cedar Springs, Mich./Cedar Springs) fired a complete-game four-hitter, yielding just the one earned run and two walks with a season-high nine strikeouts to earn his second victory of the season (2-2).

Sophomore Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) paced the Ravens offense as he hit 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a stolen base and two runs scored. Classmate Mike Feetham (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) finished 2-4 with a steal and RBI, while freshman Kim Hart (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) was 1-3 with a steal and RBI.

Junior Miles Page (Dracut, Mass./Central Catholic) accounted for half of the River Hawks offensive output as he batted 2-4 and scored their lone run.

Senior right-hander Steve Palazzolo (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) suffered the loss (3-3) despite allowing just one earned run (three total). He scattered eight hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over 7.1 innings of work.

Bowling held the River Hawks off the scoreboard until the seventh as the Franklin Pierce offense scored single runs in the fourth and sixth to take a 2-0 lead. Freshman Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) reached on an error to lead off the fourth and scored on a one-out single by Feetham. Chambers singled to lead off the sixth and scored on a Hart single to center with one away.

UML cut the Ravens lead in half in the seventh as Page led off with a single to left and later scored on a fielder's choice.

The Ravens added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth. Chambers doubled in the eighth and scored on a sacrifice fly, while sophomore Randy Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty) reached on an error and scored on an Eric Cavers (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) single in the ninth.

The River Hawks threatened in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with none out, but the Ravens recorded a triple play to end the game.

GAME ONE: Boxscore & Play-by-Play            

In the nightcap, Franklin Pierce banged out 16 hits and got a solid pitching performance from freshman right-hander Daniel Fournier (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) to complete the sweep.

Senior Dante Blancarte (South Berwick, Maine/Amesbury (Mass.)) was a perfect 4-4 at the plate with a pair of walks, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI to pace the Ravens attack. Cavers was 3-5 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI, while freshman Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) finished 3-4 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Hart was 2-4 with two doubles, a steal and a run scored.

Fournier improved to 4-1 on the mound for Franklin Pierce as he allowed three runs (none earned) on eight hits with a season-best 11 strikeouts and two walks in 7.2 innings of work. Sophomore Mike Farrell (Russell, Mass./Gateway Regional) closed the door on the River Hawks with a perfect inning and a third.            

Junior Nate Liebenow (Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet) paced UMass Lowell as he hit 2-5 with a double. Sophomore Bob Theriault (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) was 2-4, while classmate Kevin McCann (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) was 1-3 with three RBI.

Franklin Pierce pinned freshman left-hander Kevin Graham (Billerica, Mass./Billerica) with the loss (1-2) as he was touched for four earned runs on seven hits with a strikeout and three walks in 2.2 innings.

The Ravens jumped ahead with four runs over the first two frames, including three in the second. Hart led off the second inning with a double. After Pennell walked with one away, Cavers drove them home with a double to center. Blancarte drove in Cavers with a two-out single to left.

The River Hawks crept to within 4-1 in the fifth as freshman Bill Furey (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) reached on an error and later scored when McCann reached on an error with none out.

After scoring a single run in the sixth on a leadoff homer by Blancarte, Franklin Pierce broke the game open with three in the seventh. Pennell led the inning off with a single and later stole home. Blancarte singled and scored on a two-out single by Olson and Chambers walked and scored on a passed ball.

GAME TWO: BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY  

Franklin Pierce (16-16, 11-4 NE-10) and UMass Lowell (12-14, 11-6 NE-10) round out their three-game series tomorrow afternoon in Rindge at 1 p.m. The Ravens will be looking for their first regular season series sweep of the River Hawks in program history.