Flynn strikes out nine in victory

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 24, 2012) – Junior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) clubbed a three-run home run to cap a five-run seventh inning on Friday evening, as the No. 16/16 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team scored nine unanswered runs on its way to a 10-3, season-opening win over Post in non-conference play at The Ripken Experience. In the second game of the doubleheader, a seven-inning affair, junior center fielder Joe Diz turned the tide with a three-run triple in the fourth inning as Post took the nightcap, 4-3.

With the split, Franklin Pierce opens the season at 1-1 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Post is also 1-1 (0-0 Central Atlantic). The first game marked the sixth straight season that the Ravens have opened the campaign with a victory.

In the first game, Franklin Pierce got the season started in a hurry with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.) opened the campaign with a double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by graduate student center fielder James Roche (Arlington, Mass.).

Post scored three times in the top of the third inning to take its only lead of the game at 3-1. With one out, senior second baseman James Wong dropped down a bunt single and moved to second two batters later on a single by Diz. After a walk to junior right fielder Alex Villar loaded the bases, junior third baseman Todd Blair drove in two runs with a single that pushed Villar around to third. The Eagles successfully executed a double steal in the first-and-third situation to score Villar.

The Ravens tied the game at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, sophomore first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) singled and moved to second two batters later on a single by junior third baseman Anthony Peguero (Hyde Park, Mass.). Kemp followed and worked a walk to load the bases, setting the table for senior designated hitter Isaac Wenrich (Westlawn, Pa.), who plated Derry and Peguero with a two-run single.

Franklin Pierce took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the fifth and made it 5-3 with another run in the bottom of the sixth. In the fifth, Roche got things started with a one-out double, took third on a passed ball and scored on an RBI double by junior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.). In the sixth, Kemp led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and scored an unearned run on an RBI single by sophomore left fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.).

The Ravens would break the game open with five runs in the bottom of the seventh to create the 10-3 final. Sophomore right-hander Nick Bologna took over on the mound for Post to start the inning and was greeted rudely, as each of the first three batters reached base, scoring two runs and chasing Bologna from the game before he could record an out. Freshman catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) led off the inning with a walk and scored from first when Roche followed with a double. Mathieu immediately followed with an RBI single to knock Bologna out of the game.

That brought junior left-hander Phil Sirois to the hill. He got LaCroix to ground out to shortstop for the first out of the inning, but then walked Peguero. Kemp then provided the game's exclamation point with a three-run home run, the fifth round-tripper of his career.

Junior right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) took the ball on Opening Day for the Ravens, tossed 5.2 innings and picked up the win (1-0). He allowed three runs on three hits, walked four and struck out nine. It was Flynn's first win since March 30 of last season.

Senior right-hander Cutler Ruby started and took the loss (0-1) for Post. Over 5.1 innings, he allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits, walked one and struck out two.

In the second game, the first three innings went without a run before the Ravens got on the board with a run in the top of the fourth. LaCroix led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Peguero and scored on an RBI single by Kemp, who finished 4-for-6 with two runs scored and four runs batted in over the two games.

The lead would be short-lived however, as Post responded with four runs in the bottom half of the fourth to take the lead for good. All four runs would be unearned after an error by Mathieu at first allowed Post freshman first baseman Taylor Carr to reach to lead off the inning. Carr moved to second as junior left fielder Bobby Rodriguez followed with a single and the Eagles then moved their runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Russell Sirko. Wong brought home the first run of the inning with an RBI single to score Carr before junior designated hitter Chase Loudenback was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Two batters later, Diz delivered the second game's keynote address by clearing the bases with a three-run triple.

Franklin Pierce answered with two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to one run, but could get no closer, as the inning ultimately created the 4-3 final. Hennigan led off the inning with a walk and moved to second two batters later on a single by Roche. Two more batters later, LaCroix drove in both runs with a two-out triple. However, the Ravens stranded LaCroix at third and could not drive home Hennigan from second base with one out in the top of the seventh, as Post hung on for the one-run victory.

Graduate student left-hander Jack Crawford (Montgomery, N.Y.) made his first start for Franklin Pierce, after last pitching for St. Andrews in 2010. Over five innings, he allowed four runs (all unearned) on three hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out eight, though he was ultimately saddled with the loss (0-1).

Senior right-hander Stephen Corbett threw all seven innings for Post to pick up the win (1-0). He allowed three runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out four.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Feb. 25, when they take on Chestnut Hill in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at The Ripken Experience. The teams will play one nine-inning game and one seven-inning contest.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).