Ravens run win streak to 10 games

RINDGE, N.H. (April 6, 2013) – Senior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) went 6-for-7 and drew three walks to reach base nine times and scored five runs over two games on Saturday afternoon to lead the No. 30 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Southern Connecticut State, 9-3 and 10-5, in Northeast-10 Conference, non-divisional play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Sophomore right-hander Doug Willey (Shelburne, N.H.) appeared in both games of the doubleheader and fired five shutout innings between the two contests.

With the sweep, Franklin Pierce improves to 20-9 (10-0 Northeast-10, 5-0 Northeast Division), while Southern Connecticut State falls to 13-9-1 (3-5 Northeast-10, 1-3 Southwest Division). The wins pushed Franklin Pierce's winning streak to 10 games, the longest for the team since it won 11 straight games from April 26 through May 17 in 2008.

The Ravens took the lead early in the first game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Kemp hit a high chopper down the line to third and legged out an infield single. He moved to second on a groundout and scored two batters later when sophomore catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) went the other way and bounced an RBI single through the right side.

Franklin Pierce added three more runs in the bottom of the second to push the lead to 4-1. Junior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) worked a four-pitch walk leading off and then freshman second baseman Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) was hit by the first pitch to put runners at first and second with nobody out. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Kemp bounced out to shortstop to drive in the inning's first run. Junior designated hitter Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) grounded an RBI single through the left side to score Brock. Mathieu stole second and scored on a line-drive single to center by senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.). Walsh was next and singled through the right side of the infield to put runners at first and third. The Ravens attempted a delayed double steal in the first-and-third situation. SCSU junior catcher T.J. Shea threw the ball down to second, but junior shortstop T.K. Kiernan stepped in front of the bag, cut the throw off and threw it home to try to get LaCroix. Shea dropped the ball, but LaCroix clipped him on the way by instead of sliding. LaCroix was called out for interference and ejected for the collision.

A single run in the third stretched the lead to 5-0. Sophomore third baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) drew a four-pitch walk with one out, moved to second on a groundout and scored on an RBI single to right by Brock.

SCSU got on the board with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman right fielder Matt Burns walked on four pitches leading off. He went first-to-third when sophomore second baseman Nick Baviello followed with a looping single into right-center field and scored three batters later on a sacrifice fly to center by Kiernan.

The Ravens got the run right back in the home half of the fourth to make it 6-1. Kemp led off and lifted a ball to left-center field. It was just out of the range of diving senior center fielder Mike Cleary and bounced away for a triple. Kemp would score on an RBI groundout by Mathieu.

Franklin Pierce added a single run in the fifth on an RBI groundout by O'Herron and two in the sixth on an RBI single by Kemp and an RBI groundout by junior right fielder Ross Lincoln (Woodstock, Conn.) -- who took over following the LaCroix ejection -- to push the lead as high as 9-1. SCSU got a run in the eighth on an RBI double by Baviello and one in the ninth on an RBI groundout by Burns to create the 9-3 final.

Senior right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) took the ball for the Ravens in the first game and went six innings. He allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out three, using just 57 pitches before leaving the game with a big lead on the way to the win (4-0). Willey made his first appearance of the day by pitching a shutout seventh after working around a two-out double and a walk.

Senior right-hander Ryan Yerina took to the mound for SCSU and did not fare nearly as well. Over four-plus innings, he was knocked around for seven runs on eight hits, walked four, hit a batter and did not record a strikeout.

In the first game, facing a 5-3 deficit in the home half of the fifth, Franklin Pierce sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs to take a 10-5 lead which would stand as the final score. Mathieu worked a lead-off walk on seven pitches and went to second when LaCroix lined a single to center. Two batters later, sophomore left fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) brought home the inning's first run with a single back through the middle to score Mathieu. After an infield single by O'Herron loaded the bases, Dunlap -- who caught the second game -- worked a nine-pitch walk, fouling off three two-strike pitches along the way, to bring home the tying run.

That was the end of the day for SCSU's second game starter, sophomore right-hander Cole Bryant, who departed after his eighth walk of the day in favor of senior left-hander Steve Landell. The southpaw was greeted rudely by Brock, who drove a two-run single into left-center on the second pitch to give the Ravens the lead for good. Later in the inning, Kemp had a two-run single through the middle and the final run scored on a balk.

Bryant lasted just 4.1 innings for SCSU and did little to help his cause along the way. The eight free passes helped work his pitch count up to 105, and he was charged with eight runs -- all earned -- on eight hits, threw a wild pitch, balked once and struck out four on the way to the loss (2-2). Of the eight walks, four would eventually come around to score.

Meanwhile, on the other side, junior right-hander Kevin McGowan (Nashua, N.H.) didn't have his best stuff, as he needed 97 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out six while hanging around long enough for his offense to get him the win (3-0). Willey took over after the Ravens' seven-run fifth and went the rest of the way. He fired four shutout innings, allowed one hit, walked one, hit a batter and struck out three to earn his second save of the season.

Earlier in the game, SCSU shook off the first game immediately with a run in the top of the first inning to open the scoring in the second game. Burns opened the game with a line-drive double into the right-field corner on the first pitch. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored when sophomore Brandon Docimo lifted a fly ball to center field but Franklin Pierce junior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) lost it in the sun for an RBI double.

Franklin Pierce plated three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Graves took a five-pitch walk leading off and then stole second before Kemp walked on five pitches behind him as well. After a balk moved the runners to second and third, Mathieu laced a single straight up the middle and into center field to drive in two runs. Mathieu moved to second on a single up the middle by LaCroix and then Walsh laid down a sacrifice bunt, but reached to load the bases on a throwing error by the pitcher. Sophomore left fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) converted the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to right field which plated Mathieu.

SCSU briefly took a 5-3 lead ahead of Franklin Pierce's fifth-inning outburst with four runs of its own in the top half of the fifth. With one out, senior left fielder Collin Dickinson knocked a single back through the middle, moved to second on a walk to Burns and went to third when Baviello singled through the right side to load the bases. Two batters later, senior first baseman A.J. Rouleau ripped a single into right-center to plate both Burns and Dickinson to tie the game, while Baviello went first-to-third. The next batter was Kiernan, who lifted a fly ball deep to right field. LaCroix tracked the ball, reached up to make the catch running straight away from home plate, but dropped it when he collided with the fence, leaving Kiernan with a two-run double.

The Ravens return to the field on Sunday, April 7, when they remain home to host New Haven in a Northeast-10 Conference, non-divisional doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Pappas Field.

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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).