Ravens off to 13-1 start for first time in program history
after record-matching 12th-straight win
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (March
19, 2007) - Franklin Pierce, ranked 12th in
this week's Collegiate Baseball magazine Division II poll
and first in the Northeast Region, held off a late rally to collect
a 9-8 victory over Barry University in a non-conference baseball
match up at Feinbloom Field tonight.
Franklin Pierce is now off to its
best start in program history at 13-1, surpassing its 12-1 start of
a year ago. The Ravens have now matched a program record with
12-straight wins, accomplished twice previously including last
season.
Tonight, the Ravens pounded out 14
hits to overcome five errors in the field. Junior Kevin
Renaud (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge), a transfer from
Becker College, led the offensive attack, going 2-for-4 with a home
run and four RBI. Twin brother Keith Renaud (Southbridge,
Mass.//Southbridge) hit 4-5 with two runs scored, while
junior Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) was
3-4 with an RBI. Senior Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David
Prouty) finished 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored,
while freshman Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol
Eastern) chipped in a double and three
RBI.
Junior Steve Shephard
(Peterborough, N.H./Conval) picked up the win (2-0) on the
mound for Franklin Pierce, allowing six runs, three earned, on
seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks over 6.1 innings.
Junior Tyler Bishop (Milford, N.H./Milford) earned
his first save of the season with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing
just one hit.
Junior Carlos Gomez
(Cartagena, Columbia) led Barry as he hit 3-for-5 with a
pair of home runs and four RBI. Senior Orestes Gonzalez
(Port St. Lucie, Fla./Indian River CC) was 2-4 with two
runs scored, while junior Andrew Frezza (Tequesta,
Fla./Jupiter) finished 1-4 with a homer and two runs
scored.
Freshman Brian Leigh
(Somerset, Mass./Somerset) suffered the loss (0-1),
yielding six runs, four earned, on five hits with two strikeouts
and a walk in three innings of relief.
Franklin Pierce jumped on the board
with two runs in the top of the first after loading the bases with
none out. Anderson delivered an RBI single to center, before Rivers
drew a bases-loaded walk. The Ravens added another run in the
second as sophomore Cliff Hicks (Merrimack,
N.H./Merrimack) singled, reached second on a passed ball,
and later scored on single from
Pennell.
Barry knotted the score with three
in the home half of the second, taking advantage of a Raven error
for two unearned runs. A hit batter, walk and single loaded the
bases with Buccaneers before freshman Nick Shaw (Saint
Petersburg, Fla./Northeast) drew a bases loaded walk.
Freshman Evan Ashley (Tampa, Fla./Gaither) reached
on an error, extending the inning and driving in a second run,
before Gomez collected an RBI single through the left side.
Franklin Pierce regained the lead
with three in the fourth on a three-run blast from Kevin Renaud.
Barry scored a single run in the fifth on Frezza's homer, before
the Ravens extended their lead to 9-4 with three more runs in the
sixth. Kevin Renaud added an RBI single and Rivers roped a two run
double.
Barry drew within three runs with
two in the seventh as Gomez led off the frame with a home run and
the Buccaneers got a second on a ground out. The Bucs closed within
one with two more in the eighth with a two-run blast from Gomez.
Junior John Servidio (Port Richey, Fla./Polk CC)
doubled to chase Ravens reliever Clay Jenkins (Easton,
N.H./Profile), but Bishop came on to shut down the
rally.
Franklin Pierce (13-1, 0-0 NE-10)
is back in action tomorrow when it visits Lynn University, among
teams receiving votes in this week's Collegiate Baseball
poll, at 2:30 p.m. Barry (16-13) hosts Lynn on Friday at 6
p.m.
Boxscore
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