Ravens score winning runs in last at bat twice, match record with sixth-straight win

RINDGE, N.H. (April 19, 2004) - Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 6 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Northeast Region poll, needed to come from behind in both games in the late innings to sweep a Northeast-10 Conference baseball doubleheader from Merrimack College at Crystal Field this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce won game one, 4-3, in ten innings as it scored the winning run on a wild pitch during an intentional walk attempt with one out. It marks the Ravens second win over the past week in that situation after No. 20 Southern Connecticut State University committed the gaffe in a 7-6 Ravens win last Monday. Franklin Pierce scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to post a 5-4 decision in the nightcap.            

In game one, sophomore Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) paced Franklin Pierce as he hit 2-for-4 with three RBI. He belted a two-out home run to deep left-center in the bottom of the eighth to knot the score at 3-3.

Junior Eric Cavers (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills) also registered multiple hits for the Ravens as he finished 2-5 with a triple and two runs scored. His triple to right-center led off the tenth and after a strikeout, Merrimack was going to walk senior designated hitter Dante Blancarte (South Berwick, Maine/Amesbury (Mass.)) and Chambers to load the bases, but senior Brian MacDonald's (Plainville, Mass./Bishop Feehan) second ball to Blancarte sailed to the backstop to allow Cavers to run home with the winning run.

Sophomore Mike Farrell (Russell, Mass./Gateway Regional) earned the win with a perfect inning of relief in the top of the tenth. Ravens starter Bryan Borowski (Clarksburg, Mass./Drury) went the first nine and allowed three earned runs, scattering six hits with eight strikeouts.

Neither starter figured in on the decision as Merrimack sophomore Wayne Maribito (Middleton, Mass./Masconomet Regional) also pitched nine innings with nothing to show for it, yielding three earned runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. MacDonald took the loss (3-2).

Senior Bryan Green (Boxford, Mass./Masconomet Regional) was the lone Warrior to register multiple hits in the game as he hit 2-3. Freshman Rick Sotiropoulos (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) was 1-3 with a stolen base and two runs scored. Senior Eric Riedel (Washington Township, N.J./Westwood) picked up Merrimack's lone RBI.

The Warriors led 3-1 lead after a pair of unearned runs scored in the seventh. Junior Taylor Edler (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack) reached on an error to lead off the inning and came around to score when the Franklin Pierce shortstop mishandled the relay on a Sotiropoulos single to left-center. Sotiropoulos advanced to third on a Borowski throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on a Riedel single up the middle.

Franklin Pierce knotted the score in the eighth on Chambers home run and plated the winning run in the tenth on the wild pitch to complete the comeback.

GAME ONE: Boxscore & Play-by-Play            

In the nightcap, sophomore Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) drove home the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth on a single to left-center that scored classmate Randy Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty). Fenton reached on a throwing error, which allowed pinch-hitter Shawn Hayes (Charlton, Mass./Holy Name) to score the tying run.

Pennell paced the Ravens 12-hit attack, as he was 3-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases. Cavers hit 3-5 with a double and two RBI to finish the twinbill a combined 5-for-10. Chambers hit 2-5 with a double and was 4-9 with three RBI on the day.

Junior Ryan Bowling (Cedar Springs, Mich./Cedar Springs) picked up his third win of the season (3-2) with 1.2 innings of shutout relief, yielding just a hit and a walk with three strikeouts. Starter Clay Jenkins (Easton, N.H./Profile) went the first 3.2 innings and allowed two unearned runs on four hits and two walks. Farrell pitched 3.2 innings and yielded two earned runs on four hits with a strikeout and a walk.

Franklin Pierce finally capitalized in the ninth after leaving 15 runners on base in the contest, including the bases loaded in the first, seventh and eighth innings.

Riedel hit 3-5 in the nightcap for Merrimack with a double and RBI. Senior Anthony Bissanti (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) was also 3-5 and added a stolen base. Edler registered two RBI - both coming on sacrifice flies.

Senior Kris Ireland (Pittsfield, Mass./St. Joseph's) took the loss as he was hit for two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of relief. Freshman Eric Malinowski (Newington, Conn./Kingswood-Oxford) went the first seven and allowed three runs, two earned, on nine hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.

The two teams traded single runs through the first seven innings and Merrimack took its fourth lead of the afternoon, 4-3, with a single run in the eighth. Sophomore Ryan Dolan (Pawtucket, R.I./Tolman) reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Edler drove him in with his second sac fly of the game.

GAME TWO: Boxscore & Play-by-Play 

Franklin Pierce (19-16, 14-4 NE-10) returns to action tomorrow afternoon when it hosts Granite State rivals Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10 Conference action at 3:30 p.m. Merrimack (9-20, 6-13 NE-10) travels to Assumption College tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.