2006 NCAA DIVISION II BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP #12 Franklin Pierce Gets Revenge Against #6 Ashland,
Duplissie goes the distance on the mound, gets two key hits and an RBI to lead Ravens
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (May 31, 2006) - 12th-ranked Franklin Pierce avoided elimination for the second-straight day and got some revenge along the way with a 7-2 victory over No. 6 Ashland University in game nine of the 2006 NCAA Division II Baseball Championships at Paterson Field this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (46-12) advances to the semifinal round to face top-ranked University of Tampa (52-6) tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. (EDT). The Ravens will need to defeat the South Region Champion Spartans twice to reach Saturday's National Championship (8 p.m., EDT). Tampa eliminated Franklin Pierce in the semifinals of the 2003 Baseball Championships with an 18-9 decision. The Ravens have now reached the semifinal round in both trips to the Division II World Series. Ashland sees its season come to a close at 47-17.
Franklin Pierce got revenge for a 14-4 setback to Ashland in the teams opening game of the World Series on Sunday afternoon.
"I'm proud of our guys," said Ashland Head Coach John Schaly. "It was a great year, we had a lot of fun. This isn't the way we wanted it to end, but that doesn't take anything away from what (the team) did this year."
One day after senior right-hander Tyler Cummings (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) put Franklin Pierce on his back with ten scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over Emporia State University, classmate and two-time All-American Bryan Duplissie (East Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock Regional) did the same today. Duplissie went the distance to collect his seventh win of the season (7-1), allowing just the two earned runs while scattering nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk. He is now 3-0 in three career NCAA Tournament starts for the Ravens with a 1.39 ERA.
"I just concentrated on trying to go deep and give some of our pitchers some extra rest," said Duplissie.
"Give him credit," Schaly said of Duplissie. "He did a great job. I thought we would score more runs than we did."
Duplissie also helped his cause at the plate, hitting 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Sophomore battery mate Matt Anderson (Medford, Mass./Medford) also hit 2-4 with a double, RBI and run scored, while senior Randy Fenton (Worcester, Mass./Doherty) was 2-4. Senior Mike Chambers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) finished with two hits and a run scored, while classmate Elliot Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) and junior Kim Hart (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) each chipped in two RBI.
"I don't really think about (hitting) while I pitch," said Duplissie. "I just seem to hit better and help myself out when I'm pitching."
Senior Jim Barry (Mentor, Ohio), who had three hits and three RBI against Franklin Pierce in Sunday's opening win, suffered the loss on the mound. He was hit for four runs, three earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks in six-plus innings of work. Barry moved to short after his pitching effort was done and collected a hit in his only plate appearance.
Senior David Waters (West Salem, Ohio) paced the Eagles on offense, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Junior Justin Randall (Sarnia, Ontario) was 2-4 with an RBI.
Franklin Pierce jumped ahead against Ashland again with a run in the second. Freshman Scott Savastano (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on a two-out single to right by Hart. The Ravens added two more in the third, with the benefit of two Ashland errors. Chambers singled to left with two outs and advanced to second when the ball got past Waters. After an intentional walk to junior All-American Garrett Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills), Duplissie dumped a single into right to drive in Chambers. Olson scored the second run when the Eagles catcher threw the ball down the leftfield line on a failed pickoff attempt at third.
The Ravens third inning rally came just after Waters was thrown out at the plate by Fenton after Randall singled to left.
Ashland closed the gap with two in the sixth as the Eagles got the first two batters on with a Waters single and hit batter. Randall followed with an RBI single to right and the second run scored on a fielder's choice.
Franklin Pierce added some insurance in the seventh as Anderson led off with a double and later scored when Shea reached on a fielder's choice. The Ravens tacked on three more in the eighth. Duplissie led off with a single and later scored on a dropped fly ball in right. Anderson delivered an RBI single to left center with one out and Shea added an RBI single to center with two gone.
"I'm happy for our team and for our program with how we came out and played today," said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jayson King. "(Ashland) is a good, gritty team and they played hard today, too. I'm just glad that we get to play on another day."