Evan Glew

Early Offense, Glew’s Return Lead Baseball Past Saint Michael’s, 7-1, in Regular Season Finale

RINDGE, N.H. (May 4, 2018) – The Franklin Pierce University baseball team wrapped up the regular season in style on Friday afternoon at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. The Ravens plated four runs in the top of the first and never looked back, as they cruised to a 7-1 win over Saint Michael's in Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division play. Making his first start since April 18, junior left-hander Evan Glew (North Andover, Mass.) allowed one run over 5.1 innings on the way to the win.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 32-12-1 (21-6 NE10, 16-5 NE Div.) and heads into the postseason winners of nine in a row, while Saint Michael's wraps up its season at 9-32 (4-19 NE10, 4-17 NE Div.). The win allowed Franklin Pierce to finish the three-game series sweep of Saint Michael's. As was the case on Thursday, Saint Michael's played as the home team on Friday, after the entire series was relocated from Saint Michael's due to the threat of inclement weather.

It was four runs in the top of the first for the Ravens, who capitalized on a pair of miscues by the Saint Michael's outfield to set the tone early. Junior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.) started things with one out, as he was hit by a pitch. Senior third baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) was next and lifted a fly ball to left field. Saint Michael's freshman left fielder Cameron Kroeger took a circuitous route to the ball, as he started back, then broke towards the line, before finally charging forward for a diving attempt which came up short. The ball would get behind him for a double, which also moved Roberto around to third.

After a walk to graduate student first baseman Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass.) loaded the bases, the troubles continued for the Saint Michael's outfield. Senior center fielder Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.) hit a fly ball into shallow left field. Kroeger and junior center fielder Joe Robertson suffered from a failure to communicate as they both approached the ball's ultimate landing spot. Neither took charge, and they wound up staring at each other as the ball fell between them for an RBI single, as Roberto came home to score. Senior catcher Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.) was next and really made the mistakes hurt, as he drove a 390-foot double over the head of Robertson and off the fence just to the left of straightaway center to drive home two. Senior right fielder Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.) followed with an RBI groundout to cap the inning's scoring.

Saint Michael's attacked Glew early to pick up a run in the bottom half of the first. After a bunt single by freshman designated hitter Joe Webber leading off, freshman third baseman Danté Moran followed with a single to right, but Tower flashed his arm and threw out Webber by a wide margin as the latter attempted to go first-to-third. Moran then came all the way around to score from first on a double over the head of the shortstop and into the gap in left-center by Robertson.

Glew (5-1) settled in from there, as he allowed only three further baserunners over the remaining five innings on the mound, and he did not allow more than one baserunner in any single future inning. Originally scheduled for just three innings of work as he continues to come back from injury, Glew felt well enough to throw 73 pitches (50 strikes) over 5.1 innings, and retired the final five batters he faced. He allowed one run on six hits -- three of which came in the first inning -- walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out three on the way to the win.

Franklin Pierce would eventually tack on an unearned run in the fourth and a pair of runs in the ninth to create the 7-1 final. In the fourth, Octave took a leadoff walk, went first-to-third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on Tower's second RBI groundout of the day. In the ninth, Coggeshall drove in Roberto with an RBI groundout, while Friday walked and later scored on an RBI single through the left side by Chase.

Freshman right-hander Alex Mendez (0-5) threw 102 pitches (59 strikes) over the first six innings on the mound for Saint Michael's. He was charged with five runs (four earned) on five hits, walked five, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out two.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, May 8, when they open the postseason by hosting Merrimack in the first round of the NE10 Championship. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Pappas Field.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).