Thompson strikes out eight over 7.2 innings, Downing earns win out of bullpen

RINDGE, N.H. (May 11, 2011) – Freshman first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) drove a ground-rule double the other way into the gap in right-center field to score senior designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.) with what would prove to be the game-winning run on Wednesday night, as the No. 15/22 nationally ranked and third-seeded Franklin Pierce University baseball team posted a 3-2 win over sixth-seeded Stonehill in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championship at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. The Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year, sophomore right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta), struck out eight over 7.2 innings on the mound for Franklin Pierce.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 36-11 and advances to the three-day, double-elimination, weekend portion of the Northeast-10 Championship, hosted by second-seeded Adelphi at Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex in Old Westbury, N.Y. The Ravens will take on the host Panthers at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 13. With the loss, Stonehill finishes the season at 30-18.

The game went without a run until the fifth inning, when Stonehill opened the scoring with a run in the top half of the frame. With two outs, sophomore center fielder James DeAlto was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored when junior right fielder Rich McHugh followed with an RBI single to left field.

The Ravens answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Freshman center fielder Ross Lincoln (Woodstock, Conn.) worked a one-out walk in front of sophomore shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.), who clubbed a two-run home run to straightaway left. It was his second home run of the season.

The game remained 2-1 until Stonehill knotted things up at 2-2 with a run in the top of the eighth. With two outs, McHugh drove a triple in the gap in right-center and scored when senior second baseman Nick Nardacci dumped a single into right-center.

Once again, Franklin Pierce responded in the bottom half of the inning, this time with the eventual game-winning run. With one out, Ingui worked a walk and went first-to-third on a single to right by Dowd, who was then cut down trying to take second on the throw to third. That out left the Ravens needing a base hit, as opposed to just a sacrifice fly, to drive home Ingui from third. Mathieu provided that hit when he drove a payoff pitch the other way into the gap in right-center. The ball one-hopped over the fence, leaving Mathieu with a ground-rule double as Ingui trotted home from third to score.

Junior left-hander Gregg Downing (Queens, N.Y.) had come into the game with one out and a runner on first in the top of the eighth. He walked the first man he faced and got the next to pop up on the infield to end the inning and keep the game tied. In the top of the ninth, after Mathieu's RBI double, he struck out the first two batters and got the third to bounce out to second to retire the side in order and pick up his eighth win of the season (8-1).

Thompson started on the hill for Franklin Pierce and did not factor in the decision. Over 7.2 innings, he allowed two runs on six hits, did not issue a walk, hit a batter and struck out eight.

Junior left-hander Michael White started on the mound and did not factor in the decision for Stonehill. Over seven innings, he allowed two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out five. Senior right-hander Brenden Shepard came in to pitch the eighth and took the loss (0-1) out of the bullpen. He allowed one run on two hits, walked a batter and struck out two.

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).