Senior tosses seven shutout innings

Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (April 8, 2009) – Senior left-hander Alex Szymanski (Londonderry, N.H./Northern Essex CC) threw seven shutout innings, allowed five hits and struck out seven on Wednesday afternoon to lead the Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a 6-0 victory over Southern Connecticut State in Northeast-10 Conference play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Senior first baseman Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./Lake City CC) went 2-for-4 with a double, drove in two runs and scored twice for Franklin Pierce in the win.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior left fielder Ted Lerud (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) led off and punched a double the other way into the gap in right-center field and scored three batters later when Carr pulled a double of his own into the same gap. Carr moved to third on an infield single to shortstop by junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts) and scored when sophomore shortstop Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) pulled an RBI single through the left side of the infield. After another infield single by sophomore designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) loaded the bases, senior catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) dumped a two-run single into right-center field to push the lead to 4-0.

The Ravens added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the lead to 6-0. Fifth-year center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) led off with an infield single behind the bag at second, took second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored when Carr yanked a single into right field. Carr then moved to second on an infield single to third base by Kauffman and scored when Macias went the other way for an RBI single to right field.

Szymanski started on the mound and picked up the win (1-1) for the Ravens. Over seven shutout innings, he gave up five hits, walked two, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out seven.

Junior left-hander Ed Bethke (Branford, Conn./Branford) tossed a complete game and took the loss (2-3) on the hill for Southern Connecticut State. In eight innings on the rubber, he surrendered six runs on 14 hits, did not issue a walk, threw a wild pitch and struck out seven.

The Ravens (16-12, 7-3 Northeast-10) return to the field on Friday, April 10, when they host Bentley in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field in Rindge, N.H. Southern Connecticut State (10-15, 5-6 Northeast-10) return to action on April 9 at home against Assumption.