Munoz goes 2-for-3

Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (April 27, 2010) – Sophomore left-hander Jack Leathersich struck out 11 over eight-plus innings on Tuesday night to lead Massachusetts Lowell to a 5-3 victory over the No. 24 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team in Northeast-10 Conference play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Junior left fielder Mike Munoz (Bronx, N.Y.) picked up two hits in defeat for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 31-12-1 (17-6-1 Northeast-10), while Massachusetts Lowell improves to 25-19 (12-12 Northeast-10) with the win. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak in conference play for Franklin Pierce.

Massachusetts Lowell opened the scoring with two runs without the benefit of a hit in the top of the third inning. With one out, freshman left fielder Zac Roy worked a walk, then stole second. After freshman Monte Marrocco worked a walk as well, a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Senior center fielder Luke Wallace was next and chopped a ball 15 feet down the first-base line. Franklin Pierce freshman right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) came off the mound to field the ball and elected to come home with it. However, the throw was not in time to get Roy, who scored while Wallace reached with an RBI fielder's choice. Junior designated hitter Sean Burns followed and hit a one-hopper right back at Flynn, who turned to second in an attempt to start the inning-ending double play. However, his throw was in the dirt and everyone was safe as Marrocco came home to score on the play.

After three scoreless innings, Franklin Pierce rallied to tie the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, junior third baseman Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) reached on an infield single and moved to second on a single through the left side by Munoz. Senior right fielder Phil Hendricks (Pittsfield, Maine) followed with an RBI single into left-center field to score Ingui and move Munoz to second. After a walk loaded the bases, graduate student first baseman Mike Augustine (Kingston, N.Y.) lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Munoz with the tying run.

From there, Massachusetts Lowell scored three times in the top of the ninth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Senior Peter Onorato led off with a pinch-hit, infield single and was replaced by sophomore pinch runner Chriss Soldi. After a sacrifice moved Soldi to second and a groundout pushed him to third, Wallace dumped an RBI single into right field to give the River Hawks the lead. After a walk to junior designated hitter Felix Martinez, sophomore third baseman Cam Kneeland clubbed a two-run triple into the into the gap in left-center.

Franklin Pierce looked to rally in the home half of the ninth, but was stopped after one run to create the 5-3 final. Ingui and Munoz led off with walks, at which point senior right-hander Matt Monico was summoned from the Massachusetts Lowell bullpen. He got Hendricks to bounce into a fielder's choice which erased Munoz at second and moved Ingui to third. Ingui would score on the play on a throwing error on the back end of the attempted double play. After a walk put runners at first and second, Monico got Augustine to bounce back to the pitcher for the game-ending double play.

Flynn started on the mound and did not factor in the decision for Franklin Pierce. Over six innings of work, he allowed two runs on three hits, walked two, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out seven. Junior right-hander Rob Nicholas (Southborough, Mass.) took the loss (4-1) out of the bullpen for the Ravens. In 1.2 innings on the hill, he allowed three runs on four hits and walked one.

Leathersich started and picked up the win (3-2) for Massachusetts Lowell. Over eight-plus innings, he allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, walked four and struck out 11. Monico recorded the final three outs to pick up his second save of the season.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, May 1, when they remain home to close out the regular season by hosting Adelphi in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field.