Dunlap, Kemp, LaCroix club home runs in first game

FLEMINGTON, N.J. (March 1, 2013) – Senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) went 4-for-9 with three extra-base hits and drove in six runs in Friday afternoon's doubleheader, but the No. 7/10 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team dropped a pair of non-conference, neutral-site games to Wilmington (Del.) at Diamond Nation. Wilmington scored five in the eighth inning to take a 10-8 win in the first game before scoring the winning run on a bases-loaded walk to post a 5-4, 11-inning win in the second game.

With the losses, Franklin Pierce falls to 5-2 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Wilmington improves to 3-2 (0-0 CACC). Wilmington served as the home team in both games. The two teams will meet again on Saturday, March 2 for another non-conference, neutral-site doubleheader. This time, the teams will play one nine-inning game and one seven-inning game, and Franklin Pierce will play as the home team in both contests. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, N.Y.

In the first game, Wilmington opened the scoring with five runs in the bottom of the third. Sophomore second baseman Brendan Fallers worked a lead-off walk and moved to second two batters later when sophomore right fielder Jon Castro was hit by a pitch. Sophomore first baseman Frank Samluk hit an infield single to load the bases, and two batters later, senior shortstop Jonathan Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to drive in the game's first run. Junior designated hitter Joe Marciano followed with a two-run single through the left side, plating Castro and Samluk, and chasing senior right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) from the mound after just 2.2 innings. His replacement was junior right-hander Ryan Leach (Farmingdale, Maine), who was greeted by back-to-back RBI singles by senior left fielder Brandon Payne and sophomore catcher Matt Lopes to push the lead to 5-0.

The Ravens responded immediately with a four-spot in the top of the fourth to keep things interesting. Senior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) clubbed a leadoff double into the gap in right-center and moved to third on a single through the left side by junior first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.). After an RBI single through the left side by sophomore catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) made it 5-1, LaCroix yanked the first home run of the season for Franklin Pierce to left field, a three-run shot, to cut the deficit to one run at 5-4.

Franklin Pierce struck for three runs in the top of the sixth to jump out to a 7-5 lead. Junior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) led off the inning with a home run to left field, his first as a Raven, which ended the day for Wilmington junior left-hander Jamie Treml. He was lifted for sophomore left-hander Rob Gore, who would surrender two more runs without recording an out. Sophomore third baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) greeted Gore with a single to left and junior left fielder Ross Lincoln (Woodstock, Conn.) followed with a single to right in front of freshman second baseman Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.), who laced a two-run triple to center.

However, the lead would be undone in the eighth inning, as Wilmington scored five times for the second time on the day to take a 10-7 lead. Consecutive singles by Marciano, Payne and Lopes loaded the bases with nobody out, leading to Leach's exit in favor of sophomore right-hander Travis Landry (Loudon, N.H.), who promptly threw a wild pitch to score Marciano. Fallers followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game and two batters later, a walk to Castro put runners at first and second with two away. An RBI single down the right-field line scored Lopes to give Wilmington an 8-7 lead and brought about Landry's departure. In came freshman right-hander Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass.), who served up a two-run triple into the gap in right-center by junior third baseman Josh Hampton to push the lead to 10-7.

Kemp led off the top of the ninth with a home run to right field, his first of the year, to cut the gap to 10-8. Franklin Pierce would get the tying run on base later in the inning, but could get no closer, as its second rally of the afternoon came up two runs short.

Thompson lasted only 2.2 innings, but surrendered five runs on three hits, three walks and two hit batters while striking out two, and did not factor in the decision. Leach took the loss (0-1) out of the bullpen, after throwing 4.1 innings, allowed three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out six.

Treml started and threw the first 5.1 innings for Wilmington. He allowed five runs on nine hits, walked two, struck out four and did not receive a decision either. Sophomore right-hander Tyler Fries eventually picked up the win (1-0) out of the bullpen after pitching a scoreless, hitless eighth with one walk and one strikeout. Junior right-hander Nick Marics was credited with the save (2), despite surrendering one run on three hits with one strikeout in the ninth.

In the second game, Wilmington opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Samluk knocked a single back up the middle and came all the way around to score on a double into the gap in right-center by Hampton.

The Ravens answered with a run in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1. With one out, Dunlap worked a walk, moved to third on a double over the bag at third and down the line by O'Herron and scored on an RBI groundout by senior left fielder Eric Romano (North Branford, Conn.).

Wilmington plated two more runs in the bottom half of the second to take a 3-1 lead. A lead-off triple down the right-field line by Payne set the table for junior left fielder Kyle Lindstrom, who launched a triple of his own to center field. Lindstrom then scored on an RBI groundout by Lopes.

A single run in the bottom of the third stretched the lead to 4-1. Again a lead-off triple started things, this one driven to left-center by Hampton, who would score on a wild pitch.

Franklin Pierce kicked off its comeback with a run in the top of the sixth, when Mathieu led off with a ground-rule double to center. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a double to center by LaCroix.

The Ravens plated two runs with two outs in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings. Graves led off with a single through the left side and moved to second on a wild pitch, but each of the next two batters struck out. After a walk to freshman pinch hitter Brendan Mannion (Lynn, Mass.) put runners at first and second, LaCroix came through with the team behind the proverbial eight ball and stuck a two-run, game-tying double inside the right-field line.

Neither team was able to produce a baserunner in the 10th inning, and five straight Ravens struck out to start extra innings before Mathieu was hit by a pitch with two outs in the top of the 11th. However, he was then thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.

Wilmington would win the game in the bottom half of the 11th with a run off of senior left-hander Vladimir Camacho (Jamaica Plain, Mass.). Rodriguez knocked a lead-off single to left field, and then sophomore pinch hitter Sam Goines was hit by a pitch and freshman pinch hitter Ryan Richards worked a walk to load the bases. Senior center fielder Jordan Johnson then drew another walk to force home the winning run and end the game.

Junior right-hander Trevor Graham (Sebastian, Fla.) took the ball in the second game for the Ravens and did not factor in the decision. Over 8.2 innings, he allowed four runs on nine hits, walked one, threw two wild pitches and struck out 11. He now has 25 strikeouts in his first two starts for Franklin Pierce. Camacho took the loss (0-1) out of the bullpen after allowing one run on one hit over 1.1 innings while walking two, hitting a batter and striking out three.

Senior right-hander David Hatt made the start for Wilmington and was also long gone before the game was decided. Over six innings, he allowed two runs on five hits, walked four and struck out three. Freshman right-hander Peter Monahan picked up the win (1-0) out of the bullpen after keeping the Ravens off the board in the 10th and 11th innings, without allowing a hit, while hitting a batter and striking out five.

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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).