LaCroix Three-Run Shot Keys Five-Run Sixth as Baseball Wins at Saint Anselm, 10-5

Seven different Ravens score at least one run

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 30, 2013) – Senior shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) ripped a two-run double and, two batters later, senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) clubbed a three-run home run in a five-run sixth inning on Tuesday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University baseball team defeated Saint Anselm, 10-5, at Sullivan Park in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division play. Senior right fielder Rett Ostafin went 2-for-3 with a home run and a double and scored three runs in a losing effort for Saint Anselm.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 29-15 (19-6 Northeast-10, 12-6 Northeast Division), while Saint Anselm falls to 18-28-1 (13-16 Northeast-10, 7-14 Northeast Division). Franklin Pierce is now one game in back of Bentley, which lost 4-3 to Merrimack on Tuesday, at the top of the Northeast Division standings with three games to play for each squad. However, Bentley owns the tiebreaker between the two teams, so Franklin Pierce needs two more wins than the Falcons over those final three games to claim the Northeast's top seed in next week's Northeast-10 Championship. Bentley travels to Massachusetts Lowell for a three-game series over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Ravens stay a game in front of third-place Southern New Hampshire in the loss column. Any combination of three Franklin Pierce wins and SNHU losses will clinch a home game in the first round of the Northeast-10 Championship for the Ravens. SNHU hosts Saint Michael's on Tuesday night and Franklin Pierce on Saturday night to close out its season. Pending the rest of the week's outcomes, Saturday's game will potentially determine home-field advantage in a likely first round meeting between the two teams.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second inning. With two outs, junior catcher Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) reached on an error by senior third baseman Robert Kelly. Dunlap came all the way around to score from first when sophomore center fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) followed with an RBI double to right field.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Again things started with two outs and nobody on, this time via a six-pitch walk to junior first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.), who moved to second when LaCroix followed with a five-pitch walk of his own. Sophomore designated hitter Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) was next and hit a single to left. As Mathieu rounded third and headed for home, sophomore left fielder Joe Morin threw away the throw to the plate, allowing LaCroix to score on the play as well.

Saint Anselm got on the board with a run in the home half of the third. With two outs, Kelly went the other way for a double down the left-field line and scored on an RBI single to left by sophomore first baseman Mike Hayden.

Franklin Pierce reclaimed the three-run lead at 4-1 with an unearned run in the top of the fourth. With one out, sophomore third baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) reached on another error by Kelly at third, though he was then forced out at second as freshman second baseman Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) reached on a fielder's choice. Brock stole second and scored on an RBI single to left by junior left fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.).

Again the Hawks answered in the home half of the inning to cut the lead to two at 4-2. Ostafin led off the frame with a solo home run to left field, his second of the season.

The pivotal inning came in the top of the sixth, as the Ravens plated five runs to break the game open and take a 9-2 lead. With one out, Brock reached on an error and moved to second on a single to left by Graves. Kemp followed, turned on the first pitch and pulled a two-run double down the left-field line. After another walk to Mathieu put runners at first and second again, LaCroix launched his third home run of the season, a three-run shot to left field.

Two runs in the home half of the sixth for Saint Anselm cut the gap to 9-4. Hayden led off the inning with a single to left, Morin took a five-pitch walk and Ostafin was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Junior second baseman Kyle Grumoli hit a ground ball to third, but the only play O'Herron had was to force out Hayden as a run came in to score. Sophomore designated hitter Bobby Carkhuff brought home Ostafin with the second run of the inning by knocking an RBI single to left.

Saint Anselm scored once in the bottom of the eighth and Franklin Pierce added a run in the top of the ninth to create the 10-5 final. In the eighth, Ostafin doubled to center, moved to third on a flyout to right and scored on an RBI single to center by Carkhuff. In the ninth, O'Herron reached on an error, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw and scored on an RBI single back up the middle by Brock.

Senior left-hander Vladimir Camacho (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) took the ball, logged six innings and threw 117 pitches for Franklin Pierce. He allowed four runs on eight hits, walked four, hit two batters and struck out three to pick up the win (2-2). Sophomore right-hander Doug Willey (Shelburne, N.H.) took over with a four-run lead, one out and two on in the eighth. He retired all five batters he faced, including two strikeouts to finish the game and earn his fourth save of the season.

Freshman left-hander Tyler Buck started for Saint Anselm and was knocked around over 5.1 innings. He allowed nine runs (five earned) on eight hits, walked four and struck out one, needing 105 pitches to do so in the loss (0-2).

The Ravens return to the field on Thursday, May 2, when they return home to host Saint Michael's in a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Dr. Arthur and Martha 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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).