Ravens host Bentley for three over the weekend

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 11, 2012) – Freshman third baseman Bryan Toland hit a bases-loaded, game-winning RBI single to center field with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning on Wednesday night to give No. 7/13 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire a 3-2 win over the No. 29 Franklin Pierce University baseball team in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division play at Penmen Field. Junior right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) struck out seven over six shutout innings of two-hit ball to start the game for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 21-11-1 (8-3-1 Northeast-10, 3-2-1 Northeast Division), while Southern New Hampshire improves to 29-4 (12-2 Northeast-10, 5-1 Northeast Division). Each of the two games in the season series thus far has ended in a walk-off win for the home team. The two clubs meet for the rubber game next week at Franklin Pierce on April 17.

SNHU would piece together the winning run on two hits, a walk and a hit batsman in the bottom of the 12th inning. With one out, senior catcher Kevin Spatkowski hit a slow groundball on the left side and beat out an infield single. He then stole second, which led to an intentional walk before the runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch. After a hit batter loaded the bases, Toland worked the count full and poked the game-winning single into center field.

The Ravens opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third inning. With one out, sophomore left fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Senior designated hitter Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.) followed with a single back through the middle of the infield, and Graves moved to third on the play as sophomore center fielder Brendan O'Brien could not handle the ball cleanly. Graves would then score on a successful, first-and-third double steal.

The Ravens added an unearned insurance run in the top of the eighth innings. With one out, sophomore first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) topped a ball down the third-base line and legged out an infield single. He moved to second on a groundout and went to third on a wild pitch. Freshman catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) followed with what should have been an inning-ending groundout to third, but the ball went between the legs of Toland at third to allow the run to score.

The Penmen rallied with two outs in the ninth against junior left-hander Vladimir Camacho (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) to tie the game and force extra innings. Toland worked a lead-off walk, but was erased at second base as sophomore designated hitter Zachary Robins reached on a fielder's choice and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Jeremy Tejada. Two batters later, sophomore left fielder Greg Pezzuto dumped a single inside the right-field line that pushed Tejada around to third. Tejada would score on an RBI single into left-center by sophomore second baseman Jamie Wollerman, which also allowed Pezzuto to go first-to-third with the tying run. O'Brien made it three straight two-out singles, when he pushed a ball past diving freshman third baseman R.J. Going (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and into left field to tie the game. Sophomore right-hander Kevin McGowan (Nashua, N.H.) came into the game and struck out Spatkowski to strand the winning run at second base.

Franklin Pierce threatened in the top of the 10th with a pair of one-out walks, but sophomore right-hander Tyler Gauthier struck out junior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) and Walsh to escape unharmed. The Penmen got Tejada to second on a walk and a stolen base in the bottom of the 11th, but freshman pinch hitter Tyler Fortanscio struck out to end the threat.

The Ravens again threatened in the top of the 12th, as they got runners on first and second with one away on a single by junior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) and a walk to graduate student center fielder James Roche (Arlington, Mass.). Mathieu followed and hit a ball hard back up the middle, but SNHU sophomore right-hander David Gibson snared it to start a 1-6-3, inning-ending double play.

The missed opportunity would prove costly, as SNHU cashed in the game-winning run in the home half of the frame.

Thompson started on the mound for Franklin Pierce and was left with no decision for his efforts. Over six innings of shutout ball, he allowed two hits, walked four and struck out seven. Sophomore right-hander Rob Blanc (Sandy Hook, Conn.) took the loss (0-1) out of the bullpen for the Ravens in the 12th. Over one-third of an inning, he allowed one run on two hits, walked one (intentionally), hit a batter and struck out one.

Junior left-hander Tim Flight took the ball for Southern New Hampshire and also did not receive a decision. In seven innings of work, he allowed just the one unearned run on five hits, walked two and struck out 10. Gibson earned the win (3-2) in relief for the Penmen after finishing the top of the 12th. He faced only one batter and induced the inning-ending double play.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, April 14, when they return home to host Bentley in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader, the first two games of a three-game weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Pappas Field in Rindge.

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).