Ravens blank Golden Lions 5-0 in game one; post 5-2 victory in nightcap

YAPHANK, N.Y. (March 11, 2007) - Franklin Pierce, ranked 19th in this week's Collegiate Baseball magazine Division II poll, posted two key region victories, sweeping Dowling College in a non-conference baseball doubleheader at Baseball Heaven this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce captured a 5-0 victory in game one behind three RBI from junior Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) and six shutout innings from junior Keith Renaud (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge). The Ravens completed the sweep with a 5-2 victory in the nightcap behind complete game effort from senior transfer Andrew McNulty (Norwood, Mass./Norwood/Seton Hall University)

 Franklin Pierce 5, Dowling 0

Franklin Pierce jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning of play and never looked back as the Ravens posted a 5-0 victory over Dowling in game one.

Junior captain Matt Anderson led the Franklin Pierce offensive attack with a 2-3 performance, one homerun (5), and three RBI. Senior Cory Shepherd (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat/Becker College) was 1-3 with a homer (1), one run scored and one RBI, while sophomore Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack) hit 1-3 with one run scored. Classmate Kevin Renaud (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge/Becker College) rounded out the Ravens offensive attack with a 1-3 performance, while senior captain Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) and Keith Renaud each collected a walk and one run scored.

Senior Keith Renaud, a transfer from Becker College, made his second start of the season and allowed only three hits over six shutout innings while striking out ten to earn his first victory of the season (1-0). Freshman Tyler Sykes (Sterling, Mass./St. Peter-Marian) closed the game out with a scoreless seventh, striking out two.

Senior Brent Lotito suffered the loss (2-1) as he was touched for four earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks over seven innings.

Franklin Pierce opened its scoring early in the first inning as Anderson connected for his fifth homer of the season to drive in Pennell (leadoff walk) and Kevin Renaud (walk). The Ravens added a run in the second inning on a Golden Lion error and iced the game in the seventh with Shepherd's first homerun of the season.

BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Franklin Pierce 5, Dowling 2

Franklin Pierce continued its offensive momentum in game two with a 5-2 victory to complete the doubleheader sweep over Dowling.

Franklin Pierce used a balance offensive attack as seven different Ravens collected hits. Junior captain Matt Anderson led the Raven charge with a one hit and two RBI, while senior captain Vinny Pennell hit 1-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Senior Kevin Renaud was 1-3 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI, while freshman Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) chipped in with one hit and one RBI.

Senior Andrew McNulty earned his second victory of the season (2-0), hurling a complete game, three-hitter, yielding just one earned run with nine strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore Jose Duverge suffered the loss for Dowling, tossing two-thirds of an inning, yielding one earned run on one hit with three strikeouts and three walks over.

Franklin Pierce struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning as Anderson connected for an RBI single down the left-field line to drive in Pennell (error) and Kevin Renaud (walk).  Dowling cut the Raven lead to 2-1 with a run in the bottom half of the inning but Franklin Pierce responded with an RBI double by Pennell in the second inning to take a 3-1 advantage.

The Golden Lions threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning with one run, on one hit and one error, but McNulty ended the Dowling rally and hurled a scoreless seventh to clinch the Ravens sixth victory of the season.

BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Franklin Pierce (6-1, 0-0 NE-10) is back in action on Friday as it travels to Santaluces Sportplex in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for a doubleheader with Bloomfield College at 9:30 a.m. Dowling College (4-7, 0-0 ECC) will host Caldwell College on Thursday at 3 p.m.