Rivers leads attack by driving in three runs

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (March 8, 2009) – Junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) hit 4-for-6 with two doubles and a home run, drove in three runs and scored twice over two games on Sunday afternoon to lead the No. 10 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a road doubleheader sweep over Philadelphia at Alumni Field. Franklin Pierce won the first game, 3-2, before taking the second game, 5-3, and both were seven-inning contests. Junior shortstop Tyler Mentzer (Gettysburg, Pa./Delone Catholic) hit 3-for-7, drove in a run and scored another for Philadelphia in defeat.

Philadelphia opened the scoring in the first game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior center fielder Dan Ellmer (Trenton, N.J./Nottingham) led off with a double to center, later stole third and came in to score on an RBI single to right by Mentzer.

The Rams would push the lead to 2-0 with another run in the bottom of the second. With one out, sophomore designated hitter Kevin McGovern (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) worked a walk and moved to second as senior catcher Jason Hartley (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) was hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases, another wild pitch scored McGovern from third and chased Franklin Pierce junior right-hander Mike Adams (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) from the hill after just 1.1 innings. However, senior left-hander Tom Cote (Swanzey, N.H./Univ. of Massachusetts) came in from the bullpen, induced a groundout and recorded a strikeout as the Ravens avoided further damage.

Franklin Pierce would knot the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, sophomore left fielder Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) reached on an infield single to third base and Rivers followed with a two-run home run to right field, which was Franklin Pierce’s first home run of the season.

The Ravens then took a 3-2 lead with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Fifth-year center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) led off with a single and moved to third when freshman third baseman Ben Benigno (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) singled as well. Ingui would pick up an RBI as he knocked a ground ball to the shortstop which scored Hicks while Benigno was erased at second. From there, Cote allowed just one hit over the final two innings to finish off the victory.

Adams started on the mound and did not factor in the decision for Franklin Pierce. Over 1.1 innings, he gave up two runs on two hits, walked two, hit a batter, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out one. Cote threw the final 5.2 innings to pick up the win (1-0). He allowed no runs on just one hit, walked one and struck out five.

Sophomore right-hander Jared Farbman (Philadelphia, Pa./Central) went the distance on the mound for Philadelphia and took the loss (1-1). Over seven innings, he gave up three runs on six hits, issued no walks and struck out seven.

Franklin Pierce got out of the gate in a hurry in the second game with three runs in the top of the first inning. Hicks opened the game with a single to left, stole second and then scored on an RBI triple to center field by Benigno. Benigno would score two batters later on a double to right by Rivers, who would then steal third and score on an errant throw by the Philadelphia catcher.

Philadelphia answered with one run in the bottom of the first. Freshman second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) worked a one-out walk and moved to second on a single to center field by Mentzer. Hennigan would later score as junior first baseman Rob Fisher (Langhorne, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) bounced into a fielder’s choice.

The Rams then cut the deficit to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Senior designated hitter Kyle Noonan (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) and junior right fielder Mike Anderson (Waldwick, N.J./Waldwick) opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Sophomore third baseman Anthony DiFrancesco (Landenberg, Pa./Salesianum) and Hartley were then both hit by pitches to load the bases and drive in a run, respectively.

Franklin Pierce extended the lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts) knocked a double to left field and moved to third on a single to center by sophomore shortstop Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College). Hicks would then come through with a two-run triple to right field to plate both runners.

Philadelphia then created the 5-3 final with a run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Mentzer singled to right field. He would later still second and eventually score as Noonan reached on an error.

Junior right-hander Kyle Vazquez (Berlin, Conn./Berlin) started on the mound and picked up the win (2-0) for Franklin Pierce in the second game. Over six innings, he gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits, walked one, hit a pair of batters and struck out four. Macias moved from shortstop to the mound and allowed one hit while tossing a scoreless seventh inning to record his first save of the year.

McGovern started on the rubber and took the loss (0-1) for Philadelphia. Over 4.1 innings, he gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits, walked one and struck out five.

The Ravens (4-1, 0-0 Norteast-10) return to the field on Friday, March 13, when they take on Dominican in a neutral-site, non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Santaluces Sportsplex in Lantana, Fla. Franklin Pierce’s first home game is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 against Southern New Hampshire at 3 p.m. Philadelphia (1-5, 0-0 Central Atlantic) returns to action on March 10 against West Chester.