2006
NCAA DIVISION II MONTGOMERY,
Ala. (May 31, 2006) –
12th-ranked Franklin Pierce avoided elimination for the
second-straight day and got some revenge along the way with a 7-2
victory over No. 6 Ashland University in game nine of the 2006 NCAA
Division II Baseball Championships at Paterson Field this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (46-12) advances to the semifinal round to face
top-ranked University of Tampa (52-6) tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.
(EDT). The Ravens will need to defeat the South Region Champion
Spartans twice to reach Saturday’s National Championship (8 p.m.,
EDT). Tampa eliminated Franklin Pierce in the semifinals of the 2003
Baseball Championships with an 18-9 decision. The Ravens have now
reached the semifinal round in both trips to the Division II World
Series. Ashland sees its season come to a close at 47-17.
Franklin Pierce got revenge for a 14-4 setback to Ashland in
the teams opening game of the World Series on Sunday afternoon.
“I’m proud of our guys,” said Ashland Head Coach John
Schaly.
“It was a great year, we had a lot of fun. This isn’t the way we
wanted it to end, but that doesn’t take anything away from what (the
team) did this year.”
One day after senior right-hander Tyler
Cummings (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills)
put Franklin Pierce on his back with ten scoreless innings in a 4-0
win over Emporia State University, classmate and two-time All-American
Bryan
Duplissie (East Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock Regional)
did the same today. Duplissie went the distance to collect his seventh
win of the season (7-1), allowing just the two earned runs while
scattering nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk. He is now 3-0 in
three career NCAA Tournament starts for the Ravens with a 1.39 ERA.
“I just concentrated on trying to go deep and give some of
our pitchers some extra rest,” said Duplissie. “Give him credit,” Schaly said of Duplissie. “He did a great job. I thought we would score more runs than we did.”
Duplissie also helped his cause at the plate, hitting 2-for-4
with an RBI and run scored. Sophomore battery mate Matt
Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) also
hit 2-4 with a double, RBI and run scored, while senior Randy
Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty)
was 2-4. Senior Mike
Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry)
finished with two hits and a run scored, while classmate Elliot
Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant)
and junior Kim
Hart (Gorham, Maine/Gorham)
each chipped in two RBI.
“I don’t really think about (hitting) while I pitch,”
said Duplissie. “I just seem to hit better and help myself out when
I’m pitching.” Senior Jim Barry (Mentor, Ohio), who had three hits and three RBI against Franklin Pierce in Sunday’s opening win, suffered the loss on the mound. He was hit for four runs, three earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks in six-plus innings of work. Barry moved to short after his pitching effort was done and collected a hit in his only plate appearance.
Senior
David
Waters (West Salem, Ohio)
paced the Eagles on offense, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Junior Justin
Randall (Sarnia, Ontario)
was 2-4 with an RBI.
Franklin Pierce jumped ahead against
Ashland again with a run in the second. Freshman Scott
Savastano (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North)
drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on a two-out single to
right by Hart. The Ravens added two more in the third, with the
benefit of two Ashland errors. Chambers singled to left with two outs
and advanced to second when the ball got past Waters. After an
intentional walk to junior All-American Garrett
Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills),
Duplissie dumped a single into right to drive in Chambers. Olson
scored the second run when the Eagles catcher threw the ball down the
leftfield line on a failed pickoff attempt at third.
The Ravens third inning rally came
just after Waters was thrown out at the plate by Fenton after Randall
singled to left.
Ashland closed the gap with two in
the sixth as the Eagles got the first two batters on with a Waters
single and hit batter. Randall followed with an RBI single to right
and the second run scored on a fielder’s choice.
Franklin Pierce added some insurance
in the seventh as Anderson led off with a double and later scored when
Shea reached on a fielder’s choice. The Ravens tacked on three more
in the eighth. Duplissie led off with a single and later scored on a
dropped fly ball in right. Anderson delivered an RBI single to left
center with one out and Shea added an RBI single to center with two
gone. “I’m happy for our team and for our program with how we came out and played today,” said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jayson King. “(Ashland) is a good, gritty team and they played hard today, too. I’m just glad that we get to play on another day.” |
