#14/21 Franklin Pierce Rolls Past C.W. Post, 16-2
Top-seeded Ravens crush
program record matching six home runs to defeat sixth-seeded
Pioneers in regional opener
RINDGE, N.H. (May 15, 2008) – Top-seeded and host
Franklin Pierce University, ranked 14th in this week’s
pingbaseball.com Division II poll and 21st in the Collegiate
Baseball magazine rankings, belted a program-record matching six
home runs in rolling to a 16-2 victory over sixth-seeded LIU-C.W.
Post in game one of the 2008 NCAA Division II Northeast Regional
Baseball Championship at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field
today.
Franklin Pierce (40-12), which reaches the 40-win plateau for the
third-straight year, will face the loser of today’s third
game between fourth-seeded Caldwell College (32-17) and
third-seeded and No. 26-ranked Southern Connecticut State
University (36-17) Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. C.W. Post (29-26)
will face the loser of today’s second game between
fifth-seeded Dowling College (28-17) and second-seeded Bryant
University (39-19) tomorrow at 11 a.m.
Franklin Pierce pounded out 20 hits (in 40 official at bats),
including ten for extra bases and a program record matching six
home runs, on the afternoon. The Ravens homered three times in
their eight-run seventh inning to break the game open. All nine
starters for Franklin Pierce collected hits, including six with two
or more hits, and scored at least one run on the day. Seven of the
nine Ravens who started also drove in a run.
“We have guys who can hit the ball hard with the aluminum
(bats) and can hit the ball out,” said Franklin Pierce Head
Coach Jayson King. “It’s only one game, but obviously
winning the first one is a good start for us.”
Junior leftfielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack,
N.H./Merrimack) led the way for Franklin Pierce, going
4-for-5 with a program record matching two home runs, a stolen base
and three RBI. Junior preseason All-American Scott
Savastano (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth North) hit 3-for-5 with
a double, homer, three runs scored and three RBI, while classmate
Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./St. Mary’s) batted
3-for-4 with a double, home run, two runs scored and two RBI.
Freshman Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett
Regional) finished 3-for-5 with a triple, RBI and two runs
scored.
“It’s definitely an advantage when we get the aluminum
(bats) in our hands,” said Hicks. “It gives us just
that much more confidence at the plate.”
Junior righthander Mike Adams (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard
Park), the Daktronics Northeast Region Pitcher of the
Year, collected his program-record matching tenth win of the season
(10-1), allowing an earned run on three hits and three walks with
five strikeouts over six innings of work. Junior Vinny
Gemma (Revere, Mass./St. John’s Prep) and freshman
Robbie Beaudoin (Taunton, Mass./Somerset) combined
to allow just an unearned run on five hits with a pair of
strikeouts over the final three innings.
Junior Kyle Walker (Wantaugh, N.Y./Wantagh) batted 3-for-5 with a
pair of doubles and two RBI for C.W. Post. Senior Mike Sylvester
(Farmingdale, N.Y./Sachem) hit 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Senior Kevin Gerard (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) took the
loss (5-4) on the mound for the Pioneers, yielding seven earned
runs on nine hits with a strikeout and two walks over four
innings.
“(Getting off to the fast start) definitely helps the guys
relax and helps the batters,” said King. “People are
expecting that we are going to play decent (at home), but when you
are able to do it off the bat, it helps everybody.”
Franklin Pierce jumped on top early with a four-run first. Senior
Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) started the
scoring with a two-run double, while Carr followed it up with a
two-run homer to right center.
C.W. Post got on the board with a run in the third on just one
hit. Senior Tim Sylvester (Farmingdale, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial)
was hit by an Adams pitch and Mike Sylvester walked, before Walker
reached on a chopper in front of the plate that scored Tim
Sylvester from third with two out. Franklin Pierce added three in
the fourth as senior Kevin Renaud (Southbridge,
Mass./Southbridge) belted a two-run homer to left center
and Savastano collected an RBI double to right center.
The Pioneers added an unearned run in the seventh as Mike
Sylvester reached with a bunt single and later scored on a ground
rule double to right center by Walker after the inning was extended
on an error. The Ravens answered by busting the game open with
eight runs in the home half of the frame. Sophomore Kevin
Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) got the inning
started with a two-run homer to right (his fifth of the
postseason). Hicks followed with his first homer of the afternoon,
a two-run shot to center, while Ingui posted an RBI triple and
Savastano delivered a two-run shot to cap the inning.
Hicks second homer of the day rounded out the scoring on the day
in the eighth.
“Putting a 16-2 win on the board certainly sends a message
to the rest of the teams that we are going to be tough to
beat,” said Hicks.