Cummings matches school record with 10th win, improves to 4-1 over career in elimination games

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (May 30, 2006) - 12^th-ranked Franklin Pierce stayed alive with a thrilling 4-0 victory in 11 innings over No. 2 Emporia State University in game seven of the 2006 NCAA Division II Baseball Championships at Paterson Field this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce (45-12) will face 6^th-ranked Ashland (47-16) in a rematch of Sunday's 14-4 setback in the opening game for both tomorrow at 2:30 p.m (CDT). The Eagles suffered an 8-4 loss to 5^th-ranked Cal State Chico (45-20) in 13 innings in Tuesday's late game. Central Region champion Emporia State concludes its season with a 48-13 mark.

Senior All-Region right-hander Tyler Cummings (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) tossed a career-best ten scoreless innings, scattering six hits with five strikeouts and a walk to pick up his program-record matching 10^th win of the season (10-1). Also Franklin Pierce's career wins leader (27-12), Cummings improved to 4-1 over his career in elimination games for the Ravens with the outing - his second such outing in two career starts at the College World Series. He picked up a complete-game victory over UC Davis in the 2003 Championships here at Paterson Field.

"I'm a senior captain and I didn't want to be the one to end our season," said Cummings. "Today I just wanted to keep the game moving and get our hitters back in the dugout quickly and out of the heat."

Senior right-hander Mike Farrell (Russell, Mass./Gateway Regional) closed the game out with a one-two-three 11^th.       

Senior second baseman Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) provided the spark on offense, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles (25^th and 26^th of the season) and three RBI. His bases-loaded double in the 11^th provided the Ravens with some welcome insurance after the go-ahead run scored when senior Elliot Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) reached on an error. Senior Mike Feetham (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) was 1-for-2 after entering the game in a relief role.

Senior right-hander Toro Trevino (Corpus Christi, Texas) was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Emporia State, surrendering two earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk over ten-plus innings of work. Junior left-hander Mickey Lara (Wichita, Kan.) allowed two inherited runners to score and yielded two runs, one earned, on his own on two hits with a strikeout in an inning of work.

Freshman Conner Crumbliss (Arkansas City, Kan.) was the lone Hornet with multiple hits, going 2-for-5. Seniors John Martin (Shawnee, Kan.) and Josh Huwer (Boise, Idaho) were both 1-3.

Cummings and Trevino quickly established a pitcher's duel as Cummings held Emporia State hitless and faced one over the minimum through three before Crumbliss bounced a single up the middle in the fourth. Trevino allowed Franklin Pierce singles in the first and second, then held the Ravens to just a hit over the next four before Chambers led off the seventh with a double that one-hopped the wall in left-center. 

Chambers reached third base, but was caught too far off the base by Martin on what was supposed to be a bunt for base hit play with junior Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) to get Chambers home.   

"Being a senior, I'm not ready for our season to end," said Chambers. "I knew when I came up (in the 11^th) that I was going to get a hit or something to get some runs in to make up for that mistake."

Cummings ran into his one real tough jam in the fourth with runners on second and third with one out. He escaped the inning with groundouts to first and third. The Hornets got the first two batters on in the sixth, but a fielder's choice and double play preserved the scoring stalemate.

"Today was a game of missed opportunities for us," said Emporia State Head Coach Bob Fornelli. "We had our chances, but couldn't get it done. In the regionals we would have scored 10-15 runs, but that's baseball. We have nothing to hang our heads about. We just have to move on."

Chambers' pickoff of third in the seventh marked the first time the Ravens had a runner on third until they loaded the bases with none out in the 11^th. Sophomore Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) started the inning with a single through the left side and then Feetham was hit by a pitch to ending Trevino's day.

"I felt alright (entering the 11^th)," said Trevino. "They just got the hits they needed when they needed them."

Junior All-American Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) laid down a perfect bunt to load the bases and Shea drove in the go-ahead run when he reached on an error by the ESU first baseman. Chambers followed with his base-clearing double.

"Today we got great pitching from Tyler," said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jayson King. "Their pitcher had us off balance, with all different arm angles, pitch selections, but I knew Tyler would have a good day for us today."

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