Thompson whiffs seven over six shutout innings

RINDGE, N.H. (April 7, 2011) – Freshman first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and drove home three runs, while junior catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass.) hit 2-for-3 and scored three times on Thursday afternoon as the No. 13/21 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team posted an 11-1 victory over Merrimack in Northeast-10 Conference play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Sophomore right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) struck out seven over six shutout innings on the hill for Franklin Pierce.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 23-6 (9-2 Northeast-10), while Merrimack falls to 7-12 (0-7 Northeast-10).

Franklin Pierce opened the game with the only two runs it would need in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. The Ravens loaded the bases with nobody out, as junior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.) walked, senior right fielder Mike Munoz (Bronx, N.Y.) dropped down a bunt single and Dowd was hit by a pitch. Hennigan scored while senior designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) bounced into a double play at third base, while Dowd later scored on an RBI double into the gap in right-center field by Mathieu.

The Ravens busted the game open with five more runs as nine men came to the plate in the bottom of the second to extend the lead to 7-0. Hennigan had the big blow of the inning, as he clubbed a two-run double that one-hopped the fence in right-center. Also in the frame, Munoz knocked home a run with a chopper back up the middle and Ingui pulled an RBI single through the left side of the infield.

Franklin Pierce picked up two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to finish up its 11-run barrage before emptying the bench. In the fourth, sophomore left fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) bounced into a fielder's choice that drove in a run, while freshman third baseman Josh Rouse (Milford, Conn.) brought home another with a line drive to left that turned into a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, after a walk to Munoz and a single by Dowd, Mathieu knocked his second double of the ballgame into the gap in right-center to drive home both runners.

Merrimack scored its only run of the game in the top of the seventh to create the 11-1 final. Senior pinch hitter Paul Manganiello hit a ground ball that snuck through the left side of the infield on a miscommunication and turned into a hustle double. He moved to third on a single through the right side by sophomore center fielder Mark O'Flynn and scored on an RBI infield single by freshman pinch hitter Alex Ciullo.

Thompson started on the mound and tossed six shutout innings on his way to the win (7-0) for Franklin Pierce. He surrendered five hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out seven. Through his first seven starts, Thompson has an 0.38 earned-run average and has struck out 67 batters over 48 innings while holding opponents to a .185 batting average (31-for-168).

Freshman left-hander Conner McMahon got the start and took the loss (1-2) on the hill for Merrimack. Over 4.2 innings, he allowed 11 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits, walked five, hit a batter, threw two wild pitches and struck out three.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, April 9, when they travel to American International for a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon at AIC Park in Springfield, Mass.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).