#25
Franklin Pierce Rallies SMITHFIELD,
R.I. (April 4, 2006) –
Franklin Pierce, ranked 25th in this week’s Collegiate
Baseball magazine Division II poll, drew a pair of bases-loaded
walks in the top of the ninth, after Bryant University had rallied
with three runs of its own in the eighth, to post a 4-3 victory in
Northeast-10 Conference baseball action at the Bryant Baseball Complex
this afternoon. Junior All-American Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) sparked the Franklin Pierce offense as he hit 2-for-4 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored. Senior Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) was 1-3 with an RBI, while senior All-American Bryan Duplissie (East Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock Regional) also drove in a run.
Sophomore
Tyler Bishop (Milford, N.H./Milford) picked up his first
win as a Raven (1-1) with an inning and a third of perfect relief,
striking out one. Franklin Pierce starter Daniel Fournier
(Worcester, Mass./Holy Name), making his first start since
throwing the fourth no-hitter in program history last Tuesday, allowed
two earned runs on just two hits with nine strikeouts and three walks
in seven plus innings of work. He held the Bulldogs without a hit,
opening the game with 4.2 perfect innings this afternoon, before
yielding a two-out single in the fifth. He faced one over the minimum
over the first six innings before yielding two walks to start the
seventh.
Senior Paul Novakowski (Prospect, Conn./Bridgton Academy)
led Bryant as he hit 1-for-3 with two RBI, while sophomore Mark
Dondero (Medfield, Mass./Xaviarian) was 1-3 with a run scored. Freshman Dan Lozeau (Pelham, N.H./Central Catholic) took the loss for the Bulldogs (1-2) as he surrendered four runs, three earned, on five hits with two strikeouts and a walk over 8.1 innings.
Bryant
scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to erase a 2-0 Franklin
Pierce lead. The Bulldogs put the first two runners on base with a
walk and single to chase Fournier who had breezed through the first
seven innings. Bryant used a sacrifice bunt to put the runners in
scoring position where senior Daryle Crowley (Danvers,
Mass./Danvers) drove in the Bulldogs first run with a
sacrifice fly. Novakowski delivered a two-run single with the bases
loaded and one out to give Bryant the lead, before Bishop entered the
game and induced an inning-ending double play.
Olson and Chambers reached with back-to-back singles with one
out in the ninth for Franklin Pierce. Freshman Scott Savastano
(Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) reached on an error to load
the bases before Duplissie and sophomore Matt Anderson (Medford,
Mass./Medford) each drew bases loaded walks off Bryant
sophomore reliever Adam Vuolo (Walpole, Mass./Xavarian)
to put the Ravens back in front.
Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the
first, marking the 19th time in 25 games this season the
Ravens have scored in their first at bat. Olson delivered an RBI
triple with one out, before scoring when Chambers reached on an error. Franklin Pierce (18-7, 3-3 NE-10) is scheduled to return to action tomorrow afternoon when it visits the College of Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m. Bryant (8-20, 6-3 NE-10) is off until Thursday when it makes the return trip to Franklin Pierce at 3:30 p.m. |
