Dowd drives home five runs on afternoon

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (March 28, 2009) – Freshman third baseman Ben Benigno (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) and freshman catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Conn./Cardinal Spellman) each recorded four hits as they combined to drive in seven runs over two games on Saturday afternoon to lead the Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of American International in Northeast-10 Conference play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. The Ravens won the first game, 15-2, and took the second game, 11-2.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the first game with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) led off with a triple into the gap in left-center field. Freshman catcher Dowd followed with his third home run of the season, a two-run shot over the 365-foot sign in left field. Junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) was then hit by a pitch, stole second and moved to third three batters later on an infield single by freshman third baseman Benigno. Rivers would later score the third run of the inning as Benigno was picked off of first base but got himself caught in a rundown between first and second long enough for the run to score.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 6-0 with three more runs in the bottom of the second. Senior first baseman Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./Lake City CC) worked a lead-off walk, moved to second on a ground out and went to third on a single through the left side by sophomore shortstop Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College). Ingui then bounced an RBI fielder’s choice to the second baseman which saw Macias erased at second but allowed Carr to score from third. After Rivers stole second and moved to third on a balk, Dowd reached via a walk and then stole second himself. Rivers followed with a fly ball down the left-field line which dropped fair territory and bounced into the left-field corner to drive home both runners.

Franklin Pierce extended the lead to 9-0 with three more runs in the bottom of the third. Fifth-year center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) led off, worked a walk, stole second, stole third and scored on an infield single to third base by Benigno. Benigno then stole second, moved to third on a double to left field by Carr and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts). After Macias reached on a fielding error by the American International first baseman which moved Carr to third, Ingui followed with a sacrifice fly of his own to right field to drive home Carr.

American International got on the scoreboard with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, when senior designated hitter Kevin Farrell (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) crushed a solo home run to right field, his fifth of the season.

Franklin Pierce made it 10-1 in the bottom half of the fourth, when senior left fielder Ted Lerud (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) clubbed a one-out, solo home run, his first of the season, down the left-field line. The Ravens pushed it to 12-1 in the bottom of the fifth with runs from a sacrifice fly by Macias and an RBI single by Dowd. Later, Benigno drove in a run with a double, Carr brought one home with a single and Ingui produced an RBI groundout in a three-run sixth as Franklin Pierce ran the lead to 15-1. American International created the 15-2 final with an unearned run in the top of the eighth inning.

Senior left-hander Tom Cote (Swanzey, N.H./Univ. of Massachusetts) started on the mound and picked up the win (2-2) for Franklin Pierce in the first game. Over six innings, he gave up one run on two hits, issued no walks and recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts.

Sophomore right-hander Dillon Fontaine (Amenia, N.Y./Hotchkiss School) started on the hill and took the loss (0-3) for American International. Over three innings, he surrendered nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits, walked three, hit a batter and struck out two.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the second game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Dowd knocked a double down the right-field line and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly lifted to left field by Ingui.

The Ravens made it 4-0 with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Carr led off with an infield single to third base, stole second and moved to third when Kauffman reached on a fielding error by the first baseman. Carr would score when Macias followed with an RBI single to left field which also pushed Kauffman to second. Kauffman would take third on a fly ball to right field by Ingui and score on a single to center by Dowd. Lerud then drove a single through the left side to drive home Macias from second base.

Franklin Pierce added three runs to make it 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Carr launched a solo home run, his first of the season, over the 365-foot sign in right-center. Kauffman then worked a walk, stole second and moved to third on an infield single to third by Ingui. Kauffman scored on the play and Ingui ended up on second when the American International third baseman threw the ball away in an attempt to throw out Ingui at first. Ingui took third on an errant pickoff throw and then scored when the second baseman dropped a fly ball hit to shallow right field by Dowd.

American International picked up its only two runs of the game in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI single from sophomore catcher Nick Devine (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) and the aid of a pair of errors by Franklin Pierce. The Ravens later added four unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to create the 11-2 final.

Senior left-hander James Palmer (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) started on the mound and tallied the victory (1-1) for Franklin Pierce in the second game. Over 6.2 innings, he gave up two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out five.

Sophomore right-hander Sean Stevenson (Holyoke, Mass./Holyoke) started on the rubber for American International and took the loss (0-3). Over six innings on the hill, he gave up seven runs (three earned) on eight hits, walked one, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out one.

The Ravens (9-11, 2-2 Northeast-10) return to the field on Sunday, March 29, when they travel to American International (2-16, 0-6 Northeast-10) for a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at AIC Park in Springfield, Mass. Franklin Pierce returns home on Tuesday, March 31 against Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m.