Senior goes 4-for-7 in twinbill

Box Score: Game One
Box Score: Game Two 

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (April 30, 2011) – Senior designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) went 4-for-7 with the 30th home run of his career, matching the program record, over two games on Saturday afternoon, but the No. 7/10 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team was swept by Adelphi in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at William J. Bonomo Memorial Field. Senior right-hander Robert Nixon and senior left-hander Mike Scudero each threw complete-game victories for Adelphi.

With the losses, Franklin Pierce falls to 33-10 (17-6 Northeast-10), while Adelphi improves to 28-11-1 (16-6-1 Northeast-10). Combined with yesterday's loss at Massachusetts Lowell, it is the first three-game losing streak for Franklin Pierce since March 19-20, 2010. The Ravens fell to second place in the Northeast-10 behind Southern Connecticut State (17-4-1 Northeast-10), which swept a doubleheader from Southern New Hampshire on Saturday. SCSU travels to Pace on Tuesday, while Franklin Pierce visits Merrimack on Wednesday.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the first game with a run in the top of the first inning. Junior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.) opened the game with a single to center field, moved to second on a single to right by senior right fielder Mike Munoz (Bronx, N.Y.) and scored on an RBI single to right by junior catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass.). Ingui would follow with a single to right that saw Munoz get thrown out at the plate. After singles from the first four hitters of the game, Franklin Pierce would be held to three hits, all singles, for the remainder of the contest.

Adelphi answered immediately with three runs in the home half of the first to take a lead it would never relinquish. Graduate student right fielder Omar Velazquez led off with a walk, moved to second when senior catcher Richard McCarren was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single to right by junior left fielder Justin Farnum, which also moved McCarren to third. McCarren and Farnum would both score later in the inning on a two-run double to left field by sophomore first baseman Anthony Zarrella.

Adelphi added another run in the second to push the lead to 4-1. With two outs, Velazquez singled to left and stole second base. He would score as junior second baseman Craig Matteo followed with a single to left.

The Panthers struck twice more in the fourth to create the 6-1 final. Junior shortstop Lucas Romeo started things with a one-out double to left and scored on an RBI double to left by senior center fielder Trevor Thorstensen, who later scored on a wild pitch.

Freshman left-hander Steve Hathaway (Acton, Mass.) started, lasted just 3.2 innings and took the loss (5-2) on the mound for Franklin Pierce. He was touched up for six runs on six hits, walked three, hit a batter and struck out six.

Nixon went the distance to pick up the win (8-1) for Adelphi. He allowed one run on seven hits, walked one and struck out four.

In the second game, Adelphi opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Matteo started things with a double to center field, took third on a wild pitch and scored three batters later on an RBI single to right by junior designated hitter Jamie Liebowitz.

Franklin Pierce tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second, when Ingui led off with his team leading 10th home run of the season, to left field. It was the 30th home run of Ingui's career, which tied him with Mal Higgins for the program's all-time record. Ingui has already hit more home runs than any Raven since the Northeast-10 switched to wood bats.

Adelphi took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Farnum led off with a bunt single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on an RBI single by Zarrella.

The Panthers added two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to create the 5-1 final. In the seventh, Velazquez hit a one-out double to right-center field and scored two batters later on a double to right by McCarren, who then scored when Farnum followed with an RBI single to center. In the eighth, Zarrella led off with a home run to right field, his third of the season.

Junior left-hander Gregg Downing (Queens, N.Y.) started and took the loss (6-1) for Franklin Pierce in the second game. Over seven-plus innings of work, he allowed five runs on 10 hits, walked two, hit two batters and struck out four.

Scudero threw all nine innings to pick up the win (7-1) for Adelphi. He allowed one run on seven hits, walked three and struck out four.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, May 4, when they travel to Merrimack for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Warrior Baseball Diamond in North Andover, 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).