Athletics - Franklin Pierce University

Senior Mike Chambers was a combined 5-for-7 with five runs scored and three extra base hits in the Ravens sweep of Post University today.

#12 Franklin Pierce
Sweeps Post Univ.
in Historic Doubleheader
Ravens out-score Eagles 34-2 in earliest baseball games in New Hampshire history
Chambers leads offensive attack with five hits, three for extra bases

RINDGE, N.H. (March 4, 2006) – Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 12 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball magazine Division II Coaches’ poll, swept a non-conference baseball doubleheader with Post University at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field this afternoon. The Ravens won game one, 19-0, before posting a 15-2 victory in the nightcap.

The twinbill is believed to be the earliest a regulation baseball games have been played in the State of New Hampshire and is confirmed as the earliest college baseball games in the state’s history. Senior Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) paced Franklin Pierce’s 34-run, 30-hit attack, as he was a combined 5-for-7 with five runs scored, two doubles, two stolen bases, a home run and three RBI. Junior Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty) was 4-for-7 with a triple, homer, three runs scored and five RBI.

In game one, Franklin Pierce scored all 19 runs over the first three innings and cruised the rest of the way. The Ravens pounded out 16 hits, including seven for extra bases, while shutting out the visitors on two hits.

Senior All-American Bryan Duplissie, the reigning NE-10 Player of the Year, was 2-for-4 with a homer, two stolen bases, three runs scored and four RBI in game one.

Senior All-American Bryan Duplissie (East Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock Regional) hit 2-for-4 with a home run, two steals, three runs scored and four RBI, while Chambers was 3-4 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI. Freshman Scott Savastano (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth North) was 2-4 with a double and three RBI, while sophomore Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) finished 2-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and two RBI.

Junior right-hander Daniel Fournier (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) improved to 2-0, winning his sixth-straight decision, firing five innings of one-hit shutout work with eight strikeouts and three walks. He carried a no-hitter into the fifth before junior Matt Reault (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) notched a two-out single for Post.

Senior Jordon Klein (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack) was 1-for-2 with a walk for the Eagles. Junior Mike Pandovani (Prospect, Conn./Wolcott) suffered the loss (1-1), yielding 16 runs, just seven earned, on 12 hits and two walks with three strikeouts over the first 2.1 innings.

Pandovani retired the first two batters he faced in the first before Franklin Pierce erupted for six runs, three unearned. Pennell roped a two-run triple to center and Anderson added a two-run double in the frame.

The Ravens added six more in the second, sparked by a three-run double from Savastano, before rounding out the scoring with seven in the third. Duplissie completed the run scoring with a three-run homer to left center, his first long ball of the year.

Boxscore & Play-by-Play

In the nightcap, Franklin Pierce erupted for seven runs in the second and six more in the third to stake out a 13-0 lead and never looked back. The Ravens registered 14 hits, including eight for extra bases in the second game.

Senior Elliott Shea was 3-for-5 with a double, homer, three runs scored and three RBI in the nightcap.

Chambers was 2-for-3 with a double, homer, two runs scored and two RBI, while senior Elliott Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) was 3-5 with a double, homer, three runs scored and three RBI. Pennell was 2-3 with his second career home run (first since 2004) and three RBI, while Savastano hit 2-3 with a double, triple and two runs scored. Junior All-American Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) chipped in with a pair of hits, a homer and three RBI.

Junior right-hander Shane Presutti (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge) improved to 2-0, scattering five hits and two walks over five scoreless innings of work with three strikeouts.

Junior Adam Unger (Great Neck, N.Y.) and sophomore Chris Ouelette (Uncasville, N.Y./Montville) were both 2-for-4 for Post, while junior Chris Gelalich (Arcadia, Calif./Cerritos CC) finished 1-3 with an RBI.

Freshman C.J. Fleming (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) suffered the loss (2-1), as he was touched for 13 runs, ten earned, on ten hits with a strikeout over 2.1 innings.

After Franklin Pierce was held off the scoreboard in the first inning for the first time in five games this season, the Ravens erupted with seven in the second. Pennell opened the scoring with a two-run homer to right, while Chambers capped the scoring in the frame with a two-run shot of his own. The Ravens added six in the second behind a two-run single from Olson and RBI double by Shea.

Post broke through with two runs in the sixth on Gelalich’s RBI single through the left side and a sacrifice fly by senior Pete Smaldone (Amityville, N.Y.). However, the Ravens got the runs back in the home half on solo homers from Olson and Shea on consecutive pitches with one out. It marks the second time this season the pair have homered on back-to-back pitches.

Boxscore & Play-by-Play

Franklin Pierce (4-1, 0-0 NE-10) and Post University (4-5, 0-0 CACC) will be back in action again tomorrow afternoon with another doubleheader beginning at noon here at Dr. Pappas Field.