Ravens to face sixth-seeded and CACC Champion Wilmington (Del.) College
on Thursday at 11 a.m. 

RINDGE, N.H. (May 14, 2007) - Fresh off completing the first Northeast-10 Conference regular season and tournament championship double in program history, Franklin Pierce has been named the top seed and host of the 2007 NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Championship. The six-team regional is on tap for Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field from Thursday, May 17, through Sunday, May 20.

Single-day admission for the event is $7 for adults, $4 for students with valid identification and senior citizens, and $3 for children under 12. No complimentary tickets are available. All regional contests will be broadcast live on WFPC-LP 105.3 FM and webcast via the Franklin Pierce athletics website.

Joining Franklin Pierce, ranked 11^th in this week's Collegiate Baseball magazine poll, in the six-team field is second-seeded Adelphi University (34-15, 21-6 ECC), regular season and tournament champions of the East Coast Conference, third-seeded University of Massachusetts Lowell (33-18, 25-5 NE-10), regular season runners up in the Northeast-10, fourth-seeded Caldwell College (24-13, 11-5 CACC), regular season champions in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), fifth-seeded Bryant University (32-22, 21-9 NE-10), runners up in the NE-10 Tournament, and sixth-seeded Wilmington College (29-18, 10-6 CACC), winners of the CACC Tournament.

The winner of the Northeast Regional will advance to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championships in Montgomery, Ala., May 25-June 1 at Riverwalk Stadium. The championship is hosted by Valdosta State University and the City of Montgomery.

Franklin Pierce is making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament (third-straight), having captured regional titles in 2003 & 2006 and advancing to the semifinals of the Division II College World Series in Montgomery, Ala., each time. The Ravens enter the regional just one win shy of the program record of 46 victories set in 2006. Franklin Pierce captured the 2006 regional with a 21-1 victory over Southern Connecticut State University after falling to the Owls (1-0) in the 2005 title game.

Franklin Pierce is led by ten All-Northeast-10 Conference selections, including NE-10 Player of the Year Keith Renaud (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge). He is hitting .379 with 54 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple, six home runs, 19 stolen bases and 39 RBI. Renaud has also made ten starts on the mound and is 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA, 74 strikeouts and just 23 walks over 56.0 innings with opposing batters hitting just .189 against him.

Senior Vinny Pennell (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty), a first team All-Conference pick, is hitting .358 (73-204) with 54 runs scored, 13 doubles, six triples, a homer, 25 steals and 37 RBI. Junior Kevin Renaud (Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge), twin brother of Keith and MVP of the NE-10 Tournament, is a second team All-Conference pick and is hitting .354 (74-209) with 48 runs scored, 18 doubles, six triples, seven homers, 14 steals and 56 RBI.

Sophomores Mike Adams (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) and Tom Cote (Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock Regional) both earned first team All-Conference honors. Adams is 5-0 with a 1.89 ERA, 54 strikeouts and just 15 walks over 62.0 innings, while Cote is a team-best 7-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 54.2 innings.

Franklin Pierce has also gotten top-notch work out its bullpen this season, headlined by senior Clay Jenkins (Easton, N.H./Profile) and junior Tyler Bishop (Milford, N.H./Milford). Jenkins has made a team-high 17 appearances this season and is 6-1 with a 1.30 ERA, 34 strikeouts and just ten walks over 41.2 innings. Bishop has posted a program-record nine saves this season to go with a 2-0 record in 14 appearances and has yet to allow a run in 20.2 innings of work, striking out 26 and walking just six with seven hits allowed.

2007 NCAA Division II Baseball Northeast Regional
Hosted by Franklin Pierce
Dr. Arthur & Martha Pappas Field
Rindge, N.H. - May 17-20

Thursday, May 17
Game 1: #6 Wilmington (29-18) at #1 Franklin Pierce (45-9), 11 a.m.
Game 2: #5 Bryant (32-22) vs. #2 Adelphi (34-15), 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: #4 Caldwell (24-13) vs. #3 UMass Lowell (33-18), 6 p.m.  

Friday, May 18
Game 4: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 5: Winner game 1 vs. Loser game 3, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner game 2 vs. Winner game 3, 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 19
(if four teams remain after game 6)
Game 7: Winner game 5 vs. Winner game 6, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Winner game 4 vs. Loser game 6, 2:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 7, 6 p.m.  

Sunday, May 20
Game 10: Winner game 7 vs. Winner game 9, noon
Game 11: if necessary, 30 mins upon conclusion of game 10

Saturday, May 19
(if five teams remain after game 6)
Game 7: Loser game 5 vs. Loser game 6, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Winner game 4 vs. Winner game 5, 2:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner game 6 vs. Winner game 7, 6 p.m.  

Sunday, May 20
(if two teams remain after game 9)
Game 10: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 9, noon
Game 11: if necessary, 30 mins upon conclusion of game 10

(if three teams remain after game 9)  
Game 10: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 9, noon
Game 11: Winner game 9 vs. Winner game 10, 3 p.m.