Panthers plate winning run on Ravens fourth error of the day

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (March 7, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked fourth in this week’s pingbaseball.com Division II poll and fifth in both the Collegiate Baseball magazine and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) rankings, dropped a 2-1 decision to Adelphi University, ranked third in this week’s NCBWA Northeast Regional poll, in non-conference baseball action at Bonomo Memorial Field.

Franklin Pierce’s fourth error of the afternoon resulted in the winning run crossing the plate in the bottom of the tenth. Junior Edward Ford (Floral Park, N.Y.) pinch ran for senior Mike Testani (Williston Park, N.Y.), who drew a two out walk, stole second and scored on a throwing error by Ravens junior third baseman Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack) on an infield single by junior Bill Melillo (Glenwood Landings, N.Y./North Shore).

Melillo led Adelphi’s offense, which totaled six hits, as he batted 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Senior Ryan Boelsen (Garden City, N.Y.) also hit 2-for-4 with a double, while sophomore Chris Weidlein (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) chipped in an RBI.

Junior Mike Scudero (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) picked up the win in relief for the Panthers, allowing a hit and three walks with two strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings. Junior Bobby Lanigan (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) started for Adelphi and allowed an earned run on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks over the first seven innings.

Freshman Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) was the lone Franklin Pierce batter with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Sophomore Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) was 1-for-5 with the Ravens lone RBI, while junior preseason All-American Scott Savastano (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth) doubled in four at bats.

Junior Mike Adams (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) got the start for the Ravens and scattered an earned run on five hits with nine strikeouts and two walks over nine innings of work. Despite not figuring in on the decision, he retired the last nine batters he faced, including five strikeouts to end his outing. Senior closer Tyler Bishop (Milford, N.H./Milford) was the hard-luck loser for the Ravens, allowing the unearned run on one hit with a walk after retiring the first two batters he faced.

Adelphi opened the scoring in the third when Melillo posted a two-out single, reached second on a passed ball and later scored on Weidlein’s RBI single to right center.

Franklin Pierce knotted the score in the sixth as Ingui led off with a single and later scored on Rivers one-out single.

Franklin Pierce (2-1, 0-0 NE-10) is back in action on Sunday with a non-conference doubleheader at Philadelphia University at noon. Tomorrow’s scheduled doubleheader with Caldwell College, ranked fourth in the Northeast Region, at Adelphi has been cancelled due to predicted heavy rains in Long Island in the afternoon. Adelphi (2-4, 0-0 ECC) heads to Florida for spring break and opens against Palm Beach Atlantic University on Monday at 7 p.m.