Nine-Run First Leads No. 25 Baseball Past American International, 14-5
Dowd delivers three-run double
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Kevin Rivers had an RBI double as part of a nine-run first inning
for the Ravens at American International on Monday afternoon.SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 20, 2009)
– Freshman catcher Mike Dowd
(East Bridgewater, mass./Cardinal Spellman) went 2-for-2
with a three-run double and scored twice to key a nine-run first
inning on Monday afternoon as the No. 25 Franklin Pierce University
baseball team defeated American International, 14-5, in
Northeast-10 Conference play at AIC Park. Freshman third baseman
Tyler McElman (Marlborough, Mass./Marlborough) hit a two-run home
run for AIC in defeat.
Franklin Pierce immediately broke the game open and jumped out to a
9-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The big blows in the
inning were a three-run double that dropped just inside the
right-field line Dowd and a two-run double knocked up against the
wall in left-center field by senior left fielder Ted Lerud (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug
Regional). Also in the inning, junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol
Eastern) brought home a run with an RBI double to right
field and junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of
Massachusetts) knocked a run-scoring single through the left
side.
American International got on the board with a pair of runs in the
bottom of the fifth inning to trim the lead to 9-2. Sophomore
shortstop Dan Mooney (Bennington, Vt./LaSalle Institute) worked a
walk and McElman clubbed a two-run home run beyond the 370-foot
sign in left-center field.
Franklin Pierce added four runs in the top of the seventh inning to
extend the lead to 13-2. In the inning, freshman designated hitter
Tim Quinn (Paxton, Mass./St.
John’s HS) recorded his first career hit, a three-run
home run to left-center field.
American International later picked up a pair of runs to make it
13-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by
freshman second baseman Kenny Rollins (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) and an RBI
single to right field by Mooney.
Franklin Pierce picked up an unearned run in the top of the ninth
inning and American International added a run in the bottom half of
the inning to create the 14-5 final.
Seven Franklin Pierce pitchers took to the mound on the day. Junior
right-hander Heath Wasylow
(Rehoboth, mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) threw a scoreless second
inning, struck out one and eventually came away with the win
(1-0).
Freshman right-hander Julian Concepcion (Woodstock Valley,
Conn./St. Peter Marian) started on the hill and took the loss (0-2)
for American International. In two-thirds of an inning, he
surrendered nine runs (four earned) on five hits, walked three, hit
a batter and struck out one.
The Ravens (24-14, 15-5 Northeast-10) return to the field on
Tuesday, April 21, when they return home to host Pace in a
Northeast-10 Conference contest which will be broadcast on WEEI
93.5 FM Keene. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Dr. Arthur
and Martha Pappas Field in Rindge, N.H. American International
(6-26, 4-16 Northeast-10) returns to action on April 21 at
Merrimack.