Franklin
Pierce Drops RINDGE,
N.H. (April 20, 2004) –
Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 6 in this week’s National Collegiate
Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Northeast Region poll,
collected its program-record seventh-straight victory with an 8-4
decision over Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10
Conference baseball action at Crystal Field this afternoon. Junior right-hander Keith Brouillard (Westport, Mass./Somerset) became the first pitcher in program history to open a season 7-0 as he went the distance on the mound for Franklin Pierce. Pitching on three days rest, he yielded four runs, just two earned, on six hits and four walks with six strikeouts. The two earned runs were the first Brouillard has allowed in Conference play this season, ending a streak of 36.1 innings in the second when SNHU junior Aaron Jansen (Brewer, Maine/Brewer) belted a lead-off home run down the rightfield line.
Franklin
Pierce, which has won ten-straight at home dating back to last season
and reached the 20-win plateau for the fifth-straight year, was led on
offense by junior Eric Cavers (Otisfield, Maine/Oxford Hills)
as he went 3-for-3 with a walk, two doubles, two stolen bases, an RBI
and three runs scored. Sophomore Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry)
was 2-4 with a double and two RBI, while classmate Elliott Shea
(Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) finished 1-3 with a steal, RBI and two
runs scored.
Sophomore Randy Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty)
weighed in with a 1-2 performance at the plate and matched a single-game
record with three stolen bases. The Ravens stole eight bases for the
afternoon against the Penmen. Junior Ray Powers (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) was the lone Southern New Hampshire batter with multiple hits as he was 2-4 with a double and RBI. Jansen finished 1-4 with the homer, while junior Mike Bernard (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton) chipped in a double.
Junior
right-hander Bill Forbes (Methuen, Mass./Methuen) suffered
the loss (1-3), allowing six earned runs on six hits and four walks with
three strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Freshman Matt Osmer
(Nashua, N.H./Nashua) pitched well in relief, yielding two
unearned runs on two hits with a walk and strikeout over the final 3.2
innings.
Jansen’s leadoff home run down the rightfield line in the
second opened the scoring. Franklin Pierce answered with three in the
bottom of the third to take the lead for good. Fenton drew a leadoff
walk and stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch to knot
the score. Shea laced an RBI single up the middle to score Cavers (walk)
and later scored on a double to the leftfield gap by Chambers.
The Ravens added three more in the fifth as Cavers belted a
400-foot double to center and scored on a Chambers single. Shea (walk)
and Blancarte (walk) both scored on sacrifice flies. Franklin Pierce
extended its lead further in the sixth as Cavers and Blancarte each
roped RBI doubles for an 8-1 margin.
The Penmen drew within four runs with three in the top of the
ninth with Powers registering an RBI double to round out the scoring on
the afternoon. Franklin Pierce (20-16, 15-4 NE-10) and Southern New Hampshire (15-15, 8-12 NE-10) continue their mid-week three-game series tomorrow in Manchester, the teams will round out the set on Thursday in Rindge. |
