Macias strikes out 10

Box Score

EASTON, Mass. (April 20, 2010) – Junior Eric Pearson (Webster, N.H.) hit a pinch-hit, two-out, RBI single to left field in the top of the ninth inning on Tuesday afternoon to lift the No. 30 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a 2-1 victory over Stonehill in Northeast-10 Conference play at Lou Gorman Field. Junior right-hander Jose Macias (Bronx, N.Y.) did not allow an earned run and struck out 10 over eight innings on the mound for Franklin Pierce.

With the victory, Franklin Pierce improves to 27-11-1 (13-5-1 Northeast-10), while Stonehill falls to 16-15 (11-8 Northeast-10) with the loss.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third inning. Senior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa.) led off, pulled a double down the left-field line and moved to third on a fly ball to right field by sophomore catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass.). Kauffman would then score when junior third baseman Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) bounced an RBI groundout to shortstop.

Stonehill evened the score at 1-1 with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, senior second baseman Mitch Davis legged out an infield single to shortstop. Davis wound up on second on the play on a wild throw to first by Franklin Pierce freshman shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.). Davis then took third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by junior first baseman Angelo Bruno.

The game remained tied until the ninth inning, when Franklin Pierce pushed across a run to come away with the victory. Senior right fielder Phil Hendricks (Pittsfield, Maine) led off, singled back up the middle, stole second and took third on a balk. He would score three batters later when Pearson knocked a pinch-hit, RBI single to left field.

Stonehill threatened to tie or win in the home half of the ninth, as it quickly put runners at second and third with a walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt against Franklin Pierce junior right-handed closer Rob Nicholas (Southborough, Mass.). However, Nicholas got a comebacker to the mound from junior shortstop Brenden Shepard and threw out the tying run at the plate, then got senior center fielder Rob Von Stein to ground out to second base to end the game.

Macias started on the mound and picked up the win (6-0) for Franklin Pierce. Over eight innings, he allowed just one unearned run on four hits, walked four, threw a wild pitch and struck out 10. Nicholas picked up his ninth save of the season by pitching the ninth inning.

Junior right-hander Alex McCormick started and took the loss (3-3) on the rubber for Stonehill. In eight-plus innings, he allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out six.

The Ravens return to the field on Thursday, April 22, when they return home to host Stonehill in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field in Rindge, N.H.