LaCroix hits grand slam, three-run home run

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (April 10, 2010) – Freshman center fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) hit 4-for-7 with two home runs and two doubles, drove in nine runs and scored six times on Saturday afternoon to lead the Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of American International in Northeast-10 Conference play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Franklin Pierce won the first game, 20-3, behind a 22-hit attack, and took the second game, 11-5.

With the sweep, Franklin Pierce improves to 22-10 (10-4 Northeast-10), while American International falls to 6-18 (3-11 Northeast-10) with the losses.

In the first game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with five runs on four hits and a pair of American International errors in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, junior designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) worked a walk and moved around to third as a single by junior left fielder Mike Munoz (Bronx, N.Y.) and a walk to sophomore first baseman Isaac Wenrich (Westlawn, Pa.) loaded the bases. Senior right fielder Phil Hendricks (Pittsfield, Maine) followed with a two-run single through the right side of the infield. Wenrich would then come in to score when LaCroix reached on a throwing error. Hendricks moved to third on the play and would score on a delayed double steal in the first-and-third situation. American International attempted to throw out LaCroix at second to end the inning on the play, but the throw from the catcher sailed into center field and LaCroix wound up at third. He would score from there on an RBI double into the right-center field gap by freshman shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.).

American International got on the board in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 5-1 on a one-out, opposite field, solo home run by senior left fielder Dan Bassani, his fourth of the season, well beyond the fence in right-center field.

Franklin Pierce hung another five-spot in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead to 10-1. Hendricks had the big blow of the inning with a two-run single back through the middle. Munoz, Kemp and junior second baseman Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y.) each had RBI singles in the inning as well.

American International got a run back on an RBI single by junior center fielder Mike Tranghese in the top of the fifth to briefly cut the lead to 10-2.

Franklin Pierce piled on seven more runs in the home half of the fifth to stretch the lead all the way to 17-2. LaCroix provided a two-run double in the inning, while Hendricks and Dowd each drove in a run with a double as well. Ingui clubbed a solo home run the other way to right field, his fourth of the season. Also in the inning, Macias drove home a run with an RBI single back through the middle.

Sophomore shortstop Sean McLelland hit an RBI infield single in the top of the seventh to cut the lead to 17-3.

Franklin Pierce tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the eighth to create the 20-3 final. Graduate student first baseman Mike Augustine (Kingston, N.Y.), sophomore right fielder Dan Evans (Canaan, N.H.) and sophomore shortstop Dan Poirier (Lunenburg, Mass.) each hit RBI singles in the inning.

In all, the Ravens pounded out 22 hits in the first game. Every Franklin Pierce player in the starting lineup ended up with at least one hit, while five different players finished with two or more hits.

Junior left-hander Brian Maloney (Brockton, Mass.) started on the mound and picked up the win (1-2) for Franklin Pierce in the first game. Over six innings, he allowed two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out 10.

Junior left-hander Sean Stevenson toed the rubber and took the loss (1-5) for American International. In 3.2 innings, he was touched up for 10 runs (seven earned) on seven hits, walked eight, threw a wild pitch and struck out four.

In the second game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. Kauffman led off, reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on a groundout. He would then score on an RBI infield single on the left side by Ingui. Ingui would then take second on a wild pitch, move to third on a groundout and come in to score on yet another wild pitch.

The Ravens added another run in the bottom of the second to push the lead to 3-0. LaCroix led off with a double inside third base and down the left-field line. He moved to third on a groundout and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Dowd.

American International got a run back in the top of the third inning to close the gap to 3-1. With one out, freshman second baseman Chris Amate knocked a single back through the middle, then stole both second and third base. He would score from there on a two-out, RBI single to left by Tranghese.

Franklin Pierce answered with three runs in the home half of the third to extend the lead to five runs at 6-1. With one out, Wenrich and Hendricks drew walks in front of LaCroix, who pumped a three-run home run over the fence in left-center, his third of the season.

The Ravens broke the game wide open with five more runs in the bottom of the fourth to run the lead to 11-1. Four of those runs came off the bat of LaCroix, who hit his second home run in as many innings, this one a grand slam to nearly the same spot in left-center field he had hit his three-run home run in the third. Earlier in the inning, Kauffman had scored on a wild pitch.

American International made it 11-3 with two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run home run to left field by Bassani. The Yellow Jackets picked up two more runs, both of which scored on wild pitches, in the top of the eighth to create the 11-5 final.

Freshman right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) started the second game for Franklin Pierce and picked up the win (3-2). Over six innings, he allowed three runs on six hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Sophomore right-hander Julian Concepcion took the ball and the loss (0-2) for American International. In just three innings, he surrendered nine runs (seven earned) on four hits, walked six, threw five wild pitches, hit a batter and did not record a strikeout.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 14, when they remain home to host Southern New Hampshire in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Pappas Field.