Cote tosses eight shutout innings in first game

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (April 18, 2009) – Senior left-hander Tom Cote (Swanzey, N.H./Univ. of Massachusetts) fired eight shutout innings and recorded 10 strikeouts to lead the No. 25 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University to a 7-0 victory in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against Saint Anselm at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Franklin Pierce also won the first game, 7-2, behind a 4-for-4, two-RBI performance by junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern).

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, graduate student center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) dropped down a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on an infield single by freshman third baseman Ben Benigno (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull). Hicks scored and Benign o moved to second as senior first baseman Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./Lake City CC) followed with an RBI single through the right side. After a double steal put runners at second and third, junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts) chopped a ball back to the pitcher that was mishandled and allowed Benigno to score from third. Sophomore shortstop Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) then looped an RBI double into center field to drive home Carr.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 6-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, sophomore designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) worked a walk and came around to score when freshman catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) followed with a two-run home run to left-center field, his fifth of the season.

Franklin Pierce tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to create the 7-0 final. Benigno led off, pulled a double over the head of the left fielder, moved to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI single into right-center by Kauffman.

Cote threw eight shutout innings to pick up the win (6-2) for Franklin Pierce. He surrendered six hits, walked two, threw a wild pitch and finished one shy of his career high with 10 strikeouts.

Freshman left-hander John Healy (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) started, threw seven innings and took the loss (2-3) for Saint Anselm. He was touched up for six runs (five earned) on nine hits, walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out four.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the second game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Ingui led off with an infield single in the hole at shortstop, stole second and came in to score on a double to left field by Rivers.

The Ravens would extend the lead to 4-0 with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, senior left fielder Ted Lerud (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) worked a walk and moved to second on an infield single by Hicks. Lerud would score and Hicks moved to third when Benigno followed with an RBI double just inside the left-field line. Carr then lined a two-run single into left field to score both Hicks and Benigno.

Franklin Pierce added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to push the lead to 5-0. With one out, Ingui went the other way and poked a triple into the right-field corner. He would score two batters later on a single through the left side by Rivers.

The Ravens made it a 7-0 game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ingui led off with a single back through the middle and moved to second when Dowd was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Ingui would score when Lerud looped a single into shallow center field and Dowd scored on an RBI groundout by Hicks.

Saint Anselm got on the board and created the 7-2 final with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning. With one out, sophomore second baseman Steven Panza (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) lined a single into right-center field, and moved to second on a single through the right side by senior shortstop Ben Gunn (Vineyard Haven, Mass./Martha’s Vineyard). After a single to right-center by sophomore center fielder TJ Murphy (Reading, Mass./Reading) loaded the bases, freshman third baseman Daniel DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) followed and looped a two-run single into left field to drive home Panza and Gunn.

Senior left-hander Alex Szymanski (Londonderry, N.H./Northern Essex CC) started and tossed eight innings to pick up the win (3-1) for Franklin Pierce in the second game. He allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out seven.

Freshman right-hander Bret Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) threw the first three innings and took the loss (1-1) on the hill for Saint Anselm. He was touched up for four runs on seven hits, walked one and did not record a strikeout.

The win in the second game marked to 200th career conference victory for Franklin Pierce head coach Jayson King.

The Ravens (22-14, 13-5 Northeast-10) return to the field on Sunday, April 19, when they make the return trip to Saint Anselm (12-22, 8-11 Northeast-10) for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Sullivan Park in Manchester, N.H. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on April 21 against Pace at 6:05 p.m.