#7
Franklin Pierce Rebounds FORT
LAUDERDALE, Fla. (March 24, 2006) –
Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 7 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball
magazine Division II Coaches’ poll, took the lead with two runs in
the eighth and added two insurance run in the ninth to collect a 9-5
victory at Nova Southeastern University, receiving votes in this
week’s coaches’ poll, at NSU Baseball Complex tonight.
Franklin Pierce again avoided back-to-back losses for the first
time this season, rebounding from its worst loss in almost three years
with a strong performance tonight. The Ravens jumped out to a 4-0 lead
and held a 5-1 advantage after four innings. Nova Southeastern rallied
to knot the score at 5-5 in the sixth before the Ravens scored four
runs over the final two innings to collect the win. Freshman Scott Savastano (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) continued his hot hitting, as he was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate to extend his current hitting streak to 11 games. He registered a double, three runs scored, two stolen bases and an RBI, while junior All-American Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) was 3-5 with three RBI. Junior Kim Hart (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) rounded out the Ravens with multiple hits, going 2-4 with a home run and two RBI. Senior Randy Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty) also belted a homer.
Junior
right-hander Arric
Mather (Danville, N.H./Winnacunnet)
picked up his third win of the trip (3-0) with another strong relief
outing. He allowed just an earned run on two hits with five strikeouts
and no walks over the final 4.1 innings and retired 11 of the last 12
batters he faced.
Senior Brian
Ikalina (Sunrise, Fla.)
led Nova Southeastern as he hit 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
Junior Shawn
Langlois (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
was the only other Shark with multiple hits, finishing 2-5 with a run
scored, while senior Sean
McFadden (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna)
was 1-4 with an RBI.
Junior Ross
Cummings (Jupiter, Fla./Palm Beach Dwyer)
took the loss as he was hit for four earned runs on five hits with a
strikeout in two innings of relief. NSU starter Lou
Leo (West Palm Beach, Fla./American Heritage Delray)
allowed five earned runs on eight hits and three walks with two
strikeouts over the first 6.1 innings. Franklin Pierce jumped on the board with four runs in the second. Hart sparked the inning with a two-run homer. Junior Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) reached with a bunt single, then stole second and scored on Savastano’s double down the rightfield line. Olson brought home Savastano with a single to left.
Nova
Southeastern got a run back in the third with an RBI single from
McFadden, but the Ravens answered in the fourth with a solo homer from
Fenton with two outs. The Sharks pulled within a run in the fifth
thanks to Ikalina’s three-run homer to right with one out. NSU
knotted the score in the sixth when sophomore Matt
Mindick (Boynton Beach, Fla./American Heritage Delray)
tripled to center with one out and later scored on a wild pitch.
Franklin Pierce regained the lead in the eighth as Savastano
led off with a single, stole second and scored on a double to right
from sophomore Matt
Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford).
Anderson scored two batters later on a two-out single through the
right side by senior Elliott
Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant).
The Ravens added two insurance runs in the ninth as Olson delivered a
two-run single to right with the bases loaded and two out. Franklin Pierce (14-3, 0-0 NE-10) and Nova Southeastern (18-10, 3-3 SSC) round out their three-game weekend series with a doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m. |
