Camacho pitches final six innings to pick up victory

WORCESTER, Mass. (April 24, 2012) – Sophomore first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) dumped an RBI single into right-center field to drive home senior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.) with what would prove to be the game-winning run on Tuesday afternoon, as the No. 21/27 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team posted a 7-5, 11-inning win over Assumption in Northeast-10 Conference play at Lou Gorman Field. Junior first baseman Joe Lopes went 3-for-6 with a solo home run in the loss for Assumption.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 28-12-1 (15-4-1 Northeast-10), while Assumption falls to 11-23-1 (4-16 Northeast-10).

With darkness descending on Worcester, Franklin Pierce won the game with a pair of runs in the top of the 11th inning. Hennigan started things off with a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.). Assumption then elected to walk graduate student center fielder James Roche (Arlington, Mass.) to set up the double play, but Mathieu would not oblige, as he singled to right-center to drive in Hennigan. Junior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) followed and hit a groundball to shortstop. The Greyhounds went for the inning-ending double play, but LaCroix legged out the back end as Roche scored on the RBI fielder's choice.

Junior left-hander Vladimir Camacho (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) worked around a pair of singles in the home half of the 11th to finish things off. Camacho tossed the final six innings of the game to pick up the win (2-1) for the Ravens. He allowed one run, scattered seven hits, walked two (one intentionally), hit a batter and struck out five.

Earlier in the day, Assumption opened the scoring with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. With two outs and nobody on, junior shortstop Shane Keddy clubbed a double to center field, went to third on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a passed ball.

Franklin Pierce answered with a run in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1. With one out, LaCroix walked, stole second and wound up at third on the play, as the throw to second base was errant. He scored from there on an RBI single back through the middle of the infielder by freshman catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.).

The Ravens briefly took a 2-1 lead with a run in the top of the third. Kemp led off the inning with a double to center and moved to third on a groundout. Mathieu followed with a groundball and wound up with an RBI fielder's choice, as the Assumption infield came home with the ball, but not in time to put out Kemp.

Assumption answered in the bottom half of the third to tie the game at 2-2. With one out, junior designated hitter Michael Filice drew a walk, moved to second on a walk to senior catcher Tim Quinn and scored on an RBI single down the left-field line by senior third baseman Travis Smith.

Franklin Pierce picked up single runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to take a 4-2 lead. In the fifth, Kemp led off again, this time with a walk, moved to second on a single by Roche, third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Walsh. In the sixth, junior third baseman Anthony Peguero (Hyde Park, Mass.) worked a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then stole third, and scored an unearned run on the play, as Quinn's throw sailed into left field.

Assumption tied the game again, this time at 4-4, with a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth. Lopes led off with a home run to left, his second of the season, to halve the lead. Junior left fielder Nick Napoli followed with a walk to start things up again. He moved to second on a wild pitch and later scored an unearned run while the middle infield botched a potential double-play ball.

The Ravens took the lead once again, this time at 5-4, with a run in the top of the seventh. With one out, Mathieu hammered his team-leading fourth triple of the season, and second in three games, into the gap in left-center. He scored when LaCroix followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield.

Assumption tied the game at 5-5 and set up the extra-inning finish with a run in the home half of the seventh. With one out, freshman second baseman Kelvin Sims reached with an infield single, moved to second on a single to left by Lopes and scored on an RBI single through the right side by Napoli.

Junior right-hander Joe Coto (Miami, Fla.) started on the mound and did not factor in the decision for Franklin Pierce. Over three innings of work, he allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits, walked three and struck out two.

Senior right-hander Kevin Mayone started for Assumption, and also did not receive a decision. Over 4.1 innings on the hill, he allowed three runs on six hits, walked four (one intentionally) and struck out two. Sophomore right-hander Ysander Figueroa took the loss (0-1) in the 11th for Assumption. Over 3.1 innings, he allowed two runs on one hit and walked four (one intentionally).

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 25, when they travel to Saint Anselm for a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Sullivan Park in Manchester, N.H. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Saturday, April 28, in a doubleheader against Merrimack at noon.

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).