Senior homers twice and doubles once

Box Score

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 19, 2009) – Senior first baseman Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./Lake City CC) went 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and a double, drove in three runs and scored three times on Sunday afternoon as the No. 25 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team rallied from a 5-1 deficit to tally a 10-6 win over Saint Anselm in Northeast-10 Conference play at Sullivan Park. Senior left fielder Melvin Perdue (Jonesboro, Ga./Lovejoy) finished 3-for-4, drove in a run and scored another in defeat for Saint Anselm.

Franklin Pierce jumped out to a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. With one out, freshman catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) looped a single into shallow center, moved to second on a groundout and went to third as senior left fielder Ted Lerud (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) reached on a fielding error by the third baseman. Dowd would then score on a delayed double steal in the first-and-third situation.

Saint Anselm took a 5-1 lead with five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore right fielder James Garrigan (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) led off with a single to right-center and moved to second when junior catcher Eric Baca (Franklin, N.H./Franklin) reached on an infield single in the hole at shortstop. Garrigan then stole third and later scored on an RBI single back through the middle by senior left fielder Melvin Perdue (Jonesboro, Ga./Lovejoy) which also moved Baca to third. Baca then scored and Perdue went to second on a single to left field by senior shortstop Ben Gunn (Vineyard Haven, Mass./Martha’s Vineyard) which gave the Hawks a 2-1 lead.

After that, three consecutive walks to sophomore second baseman Steven Panza (Watertown, Mass./Watertown), freshman first baseman Dan DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) and sophomore designated hitter Matt Sucharewicz (Peabody, Mass./Peabody) brought home two more runs and spelled the end of the day for Franklin Pierce senior left-hander James Palmer (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham). Freshman right-hander Nate Sermini (Great Barrington, Mass./Monument) came on in relief for the Ravens and threw a wild pitch to bring home Panza and cap the scoring in the inning.

Franklin Pierce closed the gap to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman third baseman Ben Benigno (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) led off, dropped a bunt single down the third-base line and then scored as Carr followed and crushed a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, to straightaway right field.

Saint Anselm extended the lead to 6-3 with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, junior third baseman Eric Simm (Salem, N.H./Salem) worked a walk, moved around to third on a single to left field by Perdue and scored as Gunn reached on a fielding error by the shortstop.

Franklin Pierce scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to close to within a run at 6-5. Freshman shortstop Colin Halloran (Tyngsboro, Mass./Tyngsboro) led off with a single back up the middle, moved to second when freshman designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) was hit by a pitch and went to third as Dowd grounded into a fielder’s choice that saw Ingui erased at second. Junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) then grounded out to second base to score Halloran and push Dowd to second. After a wild pitch allowed Dowd to take third, Lerud hit a ground ball which was misplayed by the shortstop and allowed Dowd to score.

The Ravens would complete the comeback and tie the game 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning when Carr led off and clubbed his second home run of the day, this one to straightaway center field.

Franklin Pierce scored four times in the top of the ninth inning to jump out to a 10-6 lead and effectively win the game. Graduate student center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) led off with a double into the gap in right-center field, then stole third and scored to give the Ravens the lead for good as the throw to third from the catcher escaped down the left-field line. With one out, Carr knocked a double into left-center field and moved to third on a single through the left side by junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts). Ingui followed with a three-run home run, his team-leading seventh of the season, to straightaway center field to cap the game’s scoring.

Palmer started on the mound and did not factor in the decision for Franklin Pierce. Over 1.1 innings, he was touched up for five runs on six hits, walked three and struck out three. Sophomore right-hander Rob Nicholas (Northboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) threw the final two innings to pick up the win (1-1) in relief for the Ravens. He did not allow a run, gave up one hit, walked one and struck out one.

Freshman right-hander Joseph Latino (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) threw 6.1 innings and did not factor in the decision for Saint Anselm. He surrendered five runs (three earned) on eight hits, did not issue a walk, hit a batter and struck out three. Freshman right-hander Jeffrey Donnis (Hatfield, Mass./Smith Academy) tossed the final inning, allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits, walked one and struck out one to take the loss (0-3) out of the bullpen for the Hawks.

The Ravens (23-14, 14-5 Northeast-10) return to the field on Monday, April 19, when they travel to American International for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at AIC Park in Springfield, Mass. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on April 21 against Pace at 6:05 p.m. Saint Anselm (12-23, 8-12 Northeast-10) returns to action on April 19 at home against Stonehill.