Mathieu collects seven hits

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (March 18, 2012) – Sophomore first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) collected seven hits over two games on Sunday afternoon, but the No. 20/22 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team was swept by Mercy in a non-conference, neutral-site doubleheader at Longwood Athletic Complex. The Ravens dropped the first game, 5-3, and suffered a 9-4 setback in the second game.

With the split, Franklin Pierce falls to 10-6 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Mercy improves to 2-12 (0-0 East Coast).

In the first game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third inning. Senior designated hitter Dan Poirier (Lunenburg, Mass.) opened the inning with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by senior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.).

Mercy answered with a run of its own in the bottom half of the third to tie the game at 1-1. With two outs, junior right fielder Andrew Bock reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch and scored when freshman left fielder Giovanni Lasalandra reached on an error as well.

The Ravens reclaimed the lead at 2-1 with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Graduate student center fielder James Roche (Arlington, Mass.) led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single by Mathieu.

Mercy struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead it would never relinquish. Sophomore shortstop Jeremy Lovera opened the frame with a lead-off single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After sophomore catcher John Casten was hit by a pitch, Bock knocked an RBI single to bring home Lovera. Casten scored when sophomore third baseman Ken Post hit an RBI groundball, but reached on an error. Bock would later come around to score on an error as well.

Mercy would pick up an insurance run in the sixth on a hit batter and another error, while Franklin Pierce picked up a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Poirier to create the 5-3 final.

Junior right-hander Joe Coto (Miami, Fla.) started on the mound and took the loss (0-1) for Franklin Pierce. Over 4.1 innings, he allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out four.

Freshman right-hander Bryan Greig took the ball and picked up the win (1-0) on the hill for Mercy. Over seven innings, he allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out one. Senior right-hander Walter Kowalczyk tossed the final two innings, allowed one run on two hits, walked two and struck out two to earn his first save of the season.

In the second game, Mercy broke the game open with nine runs, all unearned thanks to a two-out error, in the top of the second and never looked back. Lovera had the big blow of the inning with a two-run double, while freshman catcher Sal Palumbo drove in two runs with a single. Along the way, Franklin Pierce pitching forced home four runs on bases-loaded walks.

The Ravens picked up two runs each in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to create the 9-4 final. In the fourth, junior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) walked and later scored on an RBI single by freshman catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.), while Mathieu singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Anthony Peguero (Hyde Park, Mass.). In the fifth, Hennigan and Roche both singled and later scored on a two-run double by Mathieu.

Freshman right-hander Dan Gilchrist (Medford, Mass.) started and suffered the loss (0-1) for Franklin Pierce. In 1.2 innings of work, he allowed five runs (none earned) on two hits, walked three and hit a batter.

Senior right-hander Tyler Savin climbed the mound for the first five innings to pick up the win (1-2) for Mercy. He allowed four runs on five hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out two. Senior right-hander Chuck DeHart fired four perfect innings, allowed three hits and struck out three to finish the game and earn his first save.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, Marcy 20, when they travel to take on Tampa in a non-conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at University of Tampa Baseball Field in Tampa, Fla. Franklin Pierce's home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, April 3 against Southern New Hampshire at 3:30 p.m.

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).