Keenan was a freshman member of the Ravens 2010 NCAA East Region champion club where he and Flynn first met.

“We only knew each other for a few months, but became very close and bonded really quick,” said Flynn. “He was one of my closer friends here.”

However, after a short year at Franklin Pierce, Keenan decided to transfer to UMass-Lowell to continue his collegiate baseball career. Even though Keenan transferred to a different college, he and Flynn continued to stay close.

 

“We still talked a lot and he seemed to really like playing for Lowell,” said Flynn.

 

Tragically, Keenan’s life and baseball career were cut short when he passed away in June of 2011 while practicing with his summer league team the Seacoast Mavericks. Both the Franklin Pierce and UMass-Lowell campuses were devastated to hear the news of Keenan’s all-too-sudden death.

 

The schools took time to mourn the passing of Adam and then set out finding a way to honor his life and the sport he loved. After several discussions it was decided that the young man’s life would be honored every year when both schools played each other in their three-game series, with the winner being awarded the Adam Keenan Cup.

 

Playing Lowell is a huge series every season, but this year’s three games took on added meaning with the chance to honor Adam’s memory with some exciting baseball. Flynn knew this and focused in even more intently, knowing that he would get a chance to pitch in the series.

 

“On the bus ride over to the stadium, I just listened to music and just thought about how bad I wanted to win this game for Adam and his family,” said Flynn.  “I felt that would be the best way to honor Adam because he loved playing baseball and worked hard at being a great player.”

 

If that wasn’t enough, Flynn knew UMass-Lowell wanted to win just as much and that sent his emotions to another level.

 

“I knew it was going to be a good game,” Flynn said. “Just looking at his picture on the jumbo screen was really tough. It affected everyone in that stadium and I know each player on the field that day took to the diamond with an extra purpose.”

 

With his friend’s memory running through his mind the entire afternoon, Flynn took the mound and turned in one of his finest collegiate performances by pitching a complete-game shutout to lead the Ravens to a 2-0 triumph over the River Hawks. He threw just 96 pitches over nine innings, while scattering just three hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk.

 

“I just tried to keep everything simple that day,” Flynn said. “Your mind can go in a hundred different directions, but I just focused on the next pitch and knew my teammates would be there to help me out.”

 

The game, though, did not go without its tense moments and was scoreless until the eighth inning when freshman third baseman R.J. Going led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, went to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Dan Kemp. Kemp would score later in the frame to give the Ravens an insurance run in the tightly contested game. 

 

Franklin Pierce notched a 9-3 win over Lowell in the second game of the series to claim the Cup, which capped a satisfying weekend for the Ravens.

 

“It was an emotional series for everyone, especially his high school and collegiate teams,” said Flynn. “I was extremely excited to win the series and claim the Cup, but more importantly both teams battled the entire weekend and it was a great way to honor Adam’s memory.”