#15 Franklin Pierce Splits 
at Pace
Presutti fires one-hit shutout in game one;
Setters halt Ravens seven game win streak 
in nightcap  

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (April 19, 2006) – Franklin Pierce, ranked 15^th in both this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and Collegiate Baseball magazine Division II polls, split a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader with Pace University at Finnerty Field this afternoon.

            Franklin Pierce posted a 4-0 victory in game one behind a one-hit shutout performance from junior right-hander Shane Presutti (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge), but Pace took advantage of a season-high four Raven errors in claiming a 4-2 decision in the nightcap.

            Junior All-American Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) was a combined 5-for-8 in the doubleheader with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Senior Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) broke his own single-season program record as his two doubles in game one give him a Conference-leading 19 this spring.  

Franklin Pierce 4, Pace 0

Presutti and Pace junior Bryan Hallberg (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) were locked in a pitchers duel before Franklin Pierce was able to break through in the sixth en route to the 4-0 victory in game one. Presutti remained undefeated (7-0) on the year as he scattered the one hit and four walks, while striking out nine. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth before Pace got a one-out single.  

            Hallberg saw his record evened at 3-3 as he surrendered four runs, three earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks over 7.2 innings of work.

            Olson led the Franklin Pierce offense as he hit 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Chambers was 2-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Senior Randy Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty) hit 1-3, while sophomore Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) chipped in with an RBI.

            Senior Brian Hollrah (Glenwood, Md./Glenely) notched Pace’s lone hit with a one-out single in the sixth, finishing 1-for-4.

            Franklin Pierce scored the only runs it would need with a pair in the sixth. Senior Elliott Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) singled with one out and advanced to second on an error before scoring on an Olson double. Chambers followed with his first double of the game to drive in Olson.

            The Ravens added single runs in the seventh and eighth. Junior Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) led off the seventh with a walk, was sacrificed to second and then reached third on a wild pitch before coming in on bunt ground out by Anderson. Chambers sparked the eighth with a one-out double, reached third on a wild pitch and scored on an error.

Boxscore & Play-by-Play

Pace 4, Franklin Pierce 2
In the nightcap, Pace took advantage of a season-high four Franklin Pierce errors to snap a five-game skid and halt the Ravens seven-game winning streak.

            Junior left-hander David Qualben (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xavier) picked up his fifth win of the season (5-3) on the mound for Pace, allowing two runs, just one earned, while scattering eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts over 8.1 innings. Junior Earl Oakes (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) struck out the only two batters he faced after Franklin Pierce had scored a run to earn his Conference-best tenth save of the season.            

Sophomore Jack Cawley (Bronx, N.Y./Iona Prep) led the Setters offense as he hit 1-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while sophomore Chris Brown (West Kingston, R.I./South Kingstown) was 1-2 with a walk, a double and run scored. Junior Matt Bisbano (Mt. Kisco, N.Y./Fox Lane) finished 1-3 with a double and run scored.

            Junior right-hander Nate Berberian (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin) pitched well despite suffering the loss (1-2) in a spot start for Franklin Pierce. He allowed four runs, just two earned, on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks over six-plus innings of work.

            Olson was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Ravens, while freshman Scott Savastano (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) was 2-4 with a double and run scored. Pennell hit 1-2 with a stolen base, while junior Jake Christman (Newton, Mass./Newton South) notched a pinch-hit RBI single in his lone at bat.

            Pace struck first with a pair of unearned runs in the second without the benefit of a hit as Franklin Pierce committed three errors in the frame. Sophomore Matt Arburr (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) reached and advanced to second on an error and to lead off the inning, and after a walk, scored with one out on a Ravens throwing error on a double-play ball. The second run scored on a Berberian throwing error a batter later.

            Franklin Pierce got one unearned run back in the third as Fenton led off with a single and later scored on a two-out single from Olson. The Setters added two more in the fifth as Brown walked and Bisbano doubled before scoring on a two-run single from Cawley with one out. The Ravens threatened in the ninth as Savastano led off with a double and scored on a one-out pinch-hit single by Christman. However, Oakes entered and struck out the next two batters to end the game.

Boxscore & Play-by-Play

Franklin Pierce (29-9, 14-5 NE-10) is back in action tomorrow when it visits American International College at 3:30 p.m. Pace (22-14, 8-8 NE-10) hosts Merrimack College tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.