Shank

Shank Named NE-10 Co-Player of the Week
Junior starred for Franklin Pierce at the plate and on the mound

RINDGE, N.H. (March 25, 2002) - Franklin Pierce University
junior Chris Shank (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont Regional) was named the Northeast-10 Conference baseball Co-Player of the Week today by the Conference office.

Shank starred for the Ravens on the mound and at the plate as he played three different positions during FPC's spring trip to Phoenix, Ariz., last week. He batted .364 (4-11) with three runs scored, two homeruns and a team-high five RBIs and posted a 1-1 record on the mound with a 4.15 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched as opposing batters hit just .167 against him.

Shank opened the week with a win over the University of Northern Colorado as he allowed just two earned runs on three hits with 11 strikeouts in seven innings of work. The win made Shank the all-time leader in wins at FP
with his 13th career victory, passing former Raven southpaws Justin Blood (1999-2001) and John Learson (1998-2001). The two runs against him came in the seventh inning after the Ravens had built a 15-0 lead as he held the Bears to just one hit through the first six innings in the 15-4 FP
win.

Junior Chris Shank earned his second NE-10 Player of the Week honor this season with his outstanding performance in Phoenix, Arizona

Two days later, Shank made his first career start at shortstop and batted three-for-six and capped FPC's comeback from an 8-2 deficit against UNC. He belted a three-run homer to knot the score at 8-8 in the seventh inning, and then hit a walk-off solo shot with two outs in the bottom of the tenth to win the game.

Shank turned in another solid pitching performance against Grand Canyon University on Saturday as he allowed just one earned run on one hit through the first five innings. Was the hardluck loser in the 5-0 FP
loss as he yielded five runs, just four earned, on four hits with five strikeouts in the complete-game effort.

In seven games played this season, Shank is hitting .333 (4-12) with three runs scored, a team-best two homeruns and five RBIs and also boasts a .833 slugging percentage.

In three starts this season, Shank leads the Ravens with a 2-1 record, 2.70 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 20 innings of work (12.15 K's/9 inn). Opposing batters are hitting just .113 against him so far.

Shank earned NE-10 Pitcher of the Week honors on March 11 after he tossed the first season-opening no-hitter in program history on March 9.

In addition to holding the school's career wins and ERA (4.02) marks, Shank ranks second among the school's career leaders in strikeouts (154) and complete games (13). His 29 career appearances ranks fifth all-time and his 170.1 career innings pitched is good for third in program history.

Franklin Pierce (4-6) is scheduled to open its 2002 Northeast-10 schedule on Friday when it hosts Bentley College at 3:30 p.m. The Ravens had games scheduled for Tuesday (at Saint Anselm) and Wednesday (vs. UMass Lowell) postponed. The Saint Anselm game will not be made up, while the UMass Lowell game has been rescheduled for April 8 at Crystal Field.