Baseball Settles for Doubleheader Split Against Saint Michael’s

RINDGE, N.H. (March 30, 2019) – Pressed into service due to an injury, senior left-hander Evan Glew (North Andover, Mass.) rang up seven strikeouts over 3.2 innings of relief on Saturday afternoon, to hold the line and pick up the win for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team, in a 5-3 victory over Saint Michael's in the second game of a doubleheader. Unfortunately for the Ravens, the second game came after an offensively-frustrating first game in the Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division twinbill at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. On the front end, senior right-hander Anthony Matarazzo (Medford, Mass.) threw a complete-game three-hitter, but received no support as Franklin Pierce dropped a 2-0 decision.

With the split, Franklin Pierce now stands at 11-10 (4-1 NE10, 2-1 NE Div.), while Saint Michael's moves to 5-7 (2-3 NE10, 1-2 NE Div.). The two teams will meet for the rubber game of the three-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Pappas Field. Due to wet weather expected in the middle of the day, first pitch has been pushed back to 4 p.m.

Game 1: Saint Michael's 2, Franklin Pierce 0

Franklin Pierce was not without chances to support Matarazzo in the front end of the doubleheader, and the inability to convert runners from third base proved disastrous. In the first inning, the Ravens loaded the bases with nobody out, before junior first baseman Jonel Ozuna (New York, N.Y.) bounced into a first-pitch force out and freshman catcher Jethro Hurt (New York, N.Y.) grounded into an inning-ending double play. In the second, it was runners at second and third with nobody out, but senior catcher Ural Forbes (Freeport, Bahamas) lined out to short, freshman center fielder Graham Smith (Wilmington, Mass.) popped up a safety squeeze attempt and senior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.) bounced out to short.

The Ravens would go on to leave a runner at third with two outs in the third, a runner at second with two outs in the seventh and a runner at third with one out in the ninth as part of a game in which they stranded nine been on the bases.

Meanwhile, Matarazzo (2-2) gave the crimson and grey all they could have wanted on the mound and proved crediting wins and losses to pitchers is an archaic statistical practice at best. The former All-American went the distance on just 100 pitches (67 strikes) and surrendered only three hits along the way. He allowed two runs, walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out eight, but was saddled with the loss regardless.

For Saint Michael's, sophomore right-hander Zach Rodgers (3-0) waded into and out of trouble all afternoon. He scattered seven hits across eight scoreless innings, walked three and struck out seven on 120 pitches (75 strikes). Senior right-hander Trevor Allen took over for a scoreless ninth, allowed one hit and struck out one to nail down his first save of the season.

The Purple Knights plated the only run they would need in the top of the second. Allen, who played the first eight innings at first base, lifted a towering fly ball to straightaway left field on a 2-1 pitch. The ball narrowly cleared the fence and returned to the planet's surface as a solo home run. Allen's first of the season was estimated at 350 feet. Saint Michael's later added an insurance marker in the ninth, as sophomore designated hitter Julien Giroux-Harvey singled up the middle leading off, moved up on a sacrifice and later scored on an RBI single up the middle by freshman center fielder Harrison Stampler.

Game 2: Franklin Pierce 5, Saint Michael's 3

In the second game, the two teams traded runs early on. In the bottom of the first, junior shortstop James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) drove a two-out double into the gap in left-center, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on an RBI infield single by junior right fielder John Mead (Washington Township, N.J.). In the top of the second, Allen doubled over the head of the left fielder, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on an RBI single to left by freshman left fielder Sebastian Oetterer.

Franklin Pierce took the lead for good with single runs in the fifth and the sixth. In the fifth, senior third baseman Carmine Giordano (New Rochelle, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch leading off, advanced on a sacrifice and a wild pitch, and then scored on an RBI infield single by junior second baseman Justin Perez (Willimantic, Conn.). In the sixth, junior catcher Dylan Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) beat out an infield single leading off, stole second and scored on an RBI double to right-center by Ozuna.

Ozuna added a two-run single in the seventh to provide some important insurance runs and make it a three-RBI game. Saint Michael's plated a pair on a two-run home run by sophomore right fielder Cameron Kroeger – his first of the season – in the top of the ninth, but the Purple Knights could get no closer.

Senior right-hander Shane Kittila (Warwick, R.I.) threw 66 pitches (43 strikes) over the first 4.2 innings, before departing due to injury. He allowed one run on two hits, walked one and struck out seven. Glew (1-2) took over from there and used 70 pitches (40 strikes) over the next 3.2 innings to pick up the win. He surrendered two runs on one hit, walked two and struck out seven. Junior right-hander Ben Mallet (Athol, Mass.) struck out the game's final two batters to nail down his first collegiate save.

Sophomore right-hander Alex Mendez (0-2) logged the first six innings on 106 pitches (61 strikes) and suffered the loss for Saint Michael's. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, walked three, hit two batters, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out four. 

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). 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 (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).