Vazquez fans 15 in three-hitter in first game

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (May 2, 2009) – Junior right-hander Kyle Vazquez (Berlin, Conn./Berlin) threw a 10-innings, three-hit shutout and recorded a career-high 15 strikeouts on Saturday afternoon to lead the Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a 1-0 victory over Massachusetts Lowell in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. The win clinched the Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship for Franklin Pierce. The Ravens won the second game as well, 5-2.

For Franklin Pierce, it is the third conference regular season title in the last four years, as the Ravens also topped the league in 2006 and 2007. Franklin Pierce also shared a Northeast-10 Conference Markey Division title with Saint Rose in 2003.

The first game of the day featured a classic pitching duel, as Vazquez and Massachusetts Lowell junior right-hander Dustin Ramey (Kingston, N.H./Sanborn Regional) combined to allow just one run on seven hits and record 23 strikeouts, while each pitched a complete game.

The only run of the game came in the bottom of the 10th inning, as Franklin Pierce took the win and the Northeast-10 Conference regular season title in walk-off fashion. Freshman third baseman Ben Benigno (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) led off, looped a single into centerfield and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior first baseman Steve Carr (Nahant, Mass./Lake City CC). Junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of Massachusetts) followed and lifted a fly ball to right-center field which would fall for a double as Massachusetts Lowell’s right and center fielders collided.

Benigno was forced to hold up at third base on the play, which set the stage for sophomore shortstop Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) to be the hero for the second consecutive game. Macias chopped a ground ball which was knocked down by the shortstop on the left side of the drawn-in infield. The throw came to the plate, but Benigno dove in headfirst to beat the tag and give Franklin Pierce the 1-0 victory.

Vazquez threw all 10 innings on the mound, recorded a career-best 15 strikeouts and threw a three-hitter to pick up the win (8-0) in the first game for Franklin Pierce. He also walked two and hit a batter in the game. Vazquez’s previous career highs had been 8.1 innings and 11 strikeouts, both set on March 26 at Southern New Hampshire.

Ramey allowed just the one run on seven hits over 9.1 innings, but was saddled with the loss (2-4) for Massachusetts Lowell. He walked two, hit a batter and struck out eight.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the second game with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Graduate student center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) led off, dropped a bunt single up the third-base line and wound up on second base as the third baseman threw the ball away. Hicks then stole third and scored on an RBI single back through the middle by Carr.

The Ravens would push the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, sophomore designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) dumped a single into right field and moved around to third when freshman catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) looped a single into right-center field. Junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) followed and dribbled an infield single to the left of the mound which loaded the bases as Ingui had to hold at third. Lerud then drilled an infield single off the foot of the third baseman to score Ingui and keep the bases loaded. Dowd would score when Hicks bounced into an RBI fielder’s choice which saw Lerud erased at second.

Massachusetts Lowell got on the board and cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Senior third baseman Tim Keene (Berlin, N.H./Berlin) led off with a single with an infield single behind the bag at second base, moved around to third on a double inside the left-field line by junior left fielder Peter Onorato (Clarence Center, N.Y./Clarence) and scored on an infield single to shortstop by junior center fielder Luke Wallace (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown).

Franklin Pierce got the run back and added another in the home half of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-1. Carr led off and was hit by a pitch. Kauffman then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but reached at first as the River Hawks unsuccessfully attempted to throw out the lead runner at second. After a sacrifice bunt by Macias moved the runners to second and third, Ingui lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to drive home Carr and move Kauffman to third. Kauffman would in turn score on an RBI single back through the middle of the infield by Dowd.

Massachusetts Lowell got a run back in the top of the eighth inning to close the gap to 5-2. With one out, Onorato singled to right field and moved around to third as singles by Wallace and junior pinch hitter Taylor von Kriegenbergh (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) loaded the bases. Senior catcher Graeme Clohosey (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton) followed with an RBI groundout to second base to score Onorato.

Senior left-hander Alex Szymanski (Londonderry, N.H./Northern Essex CC) started and picked up the win (5-1) in the second game for Franklin Pierce. Over five shutout innings, he allowed three hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out seven. Sophomore right-hander Rob Nicholas (Northboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) threw a scoreless final 1.2 innings, allowed three hits and recorded a strike out to pick up his ninth save of the season.

Freshman left-hander Jack Leathersich (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) threw six innings and took the loss (6-3) on the hill for Massachusetts Lowell. He surrendered five runs on 11 hits, did not issue a walk, hit a batter and struck out four.

The Ravens (32-15, 23-6 Northeast-10) return to the field on Sunday, May 3, when they make the return trip to Massachusetts Lowell (24-18, 15-14 Northeast-10) to wrap up the regular season with a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Mass.