Rivers hits two-run home run

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. (April 16, 2009) – Senior right-fielder Steve Scannell (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat) went 2-for-3, scored a run and drove in another on Thursday afternoon as Assumption defeated the No. 25 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team, 7-6, in Northeast-10 Conference play at Rocheleau Field. All seven of Assumption’s runs were unearned courtesy of five Franklin Pierce errors. Junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol) hit a two-run home run for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

Assumption struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, junior first baseman Tim Scafidi (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat) reached on an infield single to second base and moved to second when junior designated hitter Matt Jose (Warwick, R.I./Hendricken) worked a walk. Two batters later, sophomore left fielder Josh Dufresne (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) singled to right field. On the play, the ball got away from Rivers in right, which allowed Scafidi to score and Jose to move around to third. Jose would later score on a wild pitch.

The Greyhounds extended the lead to 4-0 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jose led off, walked and moved to second on a bunt single by senior third baseman Mike DiReda (Shrewsbury, Mass./Saint John’s HS). Dufresne followed and laid down a sacrifice bunt, but reached first base as the pitcher threw the ball away. Jose scored on the play and DiReda moved around to third. DiReda then came in to score on a single back through the middle by Scannell.

Franklin Pierce erased the deficit and tied the game at 4-4 with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Senior first baseman Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./Lake City CC) led off, walked and moved to second when junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts) was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, sophomore designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to drive home Carr and push Kauffman to third. Kauffman would then score to make it 4-2 as freshman catcher John Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) reached and wound up on third base via an error by the left fielder. Rivers followed and clubbed his fourth home run of the season to right field to tie the game.

Franklin Pierce briefly took a 6-4 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman third baseman Ben Benigno (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) led off with an infield single to third base and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Kauffman was hit by a pitch, sophomore shortstop Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) pulled a single into left field to drive home Benigno and push Kauffman to second. Kauffman then moved to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI single to center by Dowd.

However, the lead was short-lived as Assumption answered with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth to take a 7-6 lead, which would prove to be the final score. Scannell led off, walked and moved to second on an errant pickoff throw. Two batters later, senior second baseman Mike Baillargeon (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) worked a walk as well. Junior center fielder Derek Migrants (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) followed with an RBI single to center field which drove home Scannell and moved Baillargeon to third. After a walk to sophomore catcher Mike Foley (Worcester, Mass./Saint John’s HS) loaded the bases, Baillargeon scored to tie the game and the other runners moved up a base as Scafidi reached on an error by Macias at shortstop. Migrants would later score on a passed ball to cap the scoring.

Junior right-hander Kyle Vazquez (Berlin, Conn./Berlin) started on the mound and did not factor in the decision for Franklin Pierce. Over three innings, he surrendered two unearned runs on four hits, walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out five. Graduate student left-hander Steve Cadoret (Sterling, Mass./Boston College) took the loss (0-3) out of the bullpen for the Ravens. In two innings of work, he allowed three unearned runs on one hit, walked four and struck out four.

Sophomore right-hander Zachary Jacques (Jefferson, Mass./Saint John's HS) started on the hill and did not factor in the decision for Assumption. In 4.2 innings, he gave up four runs (one earned) on four hits, walked two, hit a batter and did not record a strikeout. Junior left-hander Andrew Quinn (Taunton, Mass./Coyle-Cassidy) picked up the win (2-3) in relief for the Greyhounds. He threw two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, walked two and hit two batters. Junior right-hander Tim Dupuis (West Suffield, Conn./Suffield) tossed a scoreless final 1.1 innings, allowed one hit and walked two to pick up his fifth save of the season.

The Ravens (20-14, 11-5 Northeast-10) return to the field on Saturday, April 18, when they return home to host Saint Anselm in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field in Rindge, N.H. Assumption (18-12-1, 11-5-1 Northeast-10) returns to action on April 18 at home against Merrimack.