Mathieu clubs RBI double in sixth

MANCHESTER, N.H. (May 17, 2013) – Sophomore left-hander Steve Hathaway (Acton, Mass.) struck out 11 over 5.2 innings of three-hit ball on Friday afternoon, but was ultimately charged with three runs and the loss, as the sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce University baseball team dropped a 3-1 decision to third-seeded New Haven on the second day of the NCAA Championship East Regional, hosted by Southern New Hampshire at Penmen Field. Junior left-hander Pat Simone fanned eight over seven innings of one-run ball in the win for New Haven.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 33-17, while New Haven improves to 34-15. Franklin Pierce will play in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Saturday against the loser of Friday's 7 p.m. game, featuring fourth-seeded SNHU and fifth-seeded Pace. New Haven will also play in an elimination game on Saturday, at 3 p.m., against top seed Wilmington (Del.), which eliminated second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas with an 8-1 victory in Friday's first game. The winner of tomorrow's 11 a.m. game will face elimination again at 7 p.m. Saturday against the winner of Friday night's SNHU/Pace tilt.

New Haven opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. With one out and nobody on, junior left fielder Kyle Cullen clubbed a long home run to left-center on a 2-1 pitch, his team-leading fifth of the season.

Of the three hits Hathaway allowed, only two were particularly hard hit, the home run and an RBI single in the top of the fourth which doubled the lead to 2-0. Sophomore center fielder Brendan O'Reilly opened the frame by pushing a bunt single up the first-base line, and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. The clean-up hitter, junior designated hitter Chris DeMorais was next. He took the first two pitches for balls and then ripped a 2-0 fastball into left field to drive home the run.

Hathaway would be charged with a run without allowing a hit in the top of the sixth, as New Haven capped its scoring to stretch the lead to 3-0. With one out, O'Reilly worked a walk and then stole second in front of senior catcher Joe Romanelli, who worked a walk as well. Hathaway struck out DeMorais for the second out, but then departed after 82 pitches, as New Haven's big right-handed bat, Cullen, was coming back to the plate. Junior right-hander Ryan Leach (Farmingdale, Maine) took over and gave up an RBI single to right, which fell in front of charging senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.), who had been playing deep and shaded to right-center against the hard-hitting Cullen. Leach then issued a walk before striking out freshman shortstop Nick Nunziato to strand the bases loaded and prevent further damage.

The inherited runner scoring closed the book on Hathaway, who allowed three runs on three hits over 5.2 innings. He walked two and struck out a season-best 11, but was charged with the loss (0-2) anyway.

The three runs would be enough for Simone, who kept the Ravens off balance most of the afternoon on his way to the win (7-2). Over seven innings of work, he allowed one run on seven hits, did not issue a walk and struck out eight.

He scattered his seven hits for the most part, allowing one each in the first, third and fourth innings before Franklin Pierce broke through for its run in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman second baseman Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) led off and hit a ball deep in the hole at shortstop which Nunziato failed to handle cleanly for an infield hit. Brock moved to second two batters later on a groundout and scored when junior first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) laced an RBI double, his 17th two-bagger of the season, the other way down the right-field line.

Franklin Pierce's best chance to draw even came next time up in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, junior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) hit a hard ground ball to third which took a big hop over the third baseman's head for a single. After sophomore Ryan Boswell (New Bedford, Mass.) pinch ran, sophomore center fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) hit another ball deep in the hole at shortstop, which Nunziato again did not field cleanly, for another infield hit. Sophomore third baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) was next and hit a fly ball deep in the gap in left-center field. It hung up long enough for both the left fielder and center fielder to get under it, but O'Reilly and Cullen collided and the ball fell to the ground. The runners had to hold up, thinking the ball would be caught, but the error loaded the bases with one away. However, Simone concluded his outing by striking out both Brock and junior left fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) to strand the bases full.

Senior right-hander Peter Jay took over on the mound to start the bottom of the eighth inning for New Haven, as Simone exited after 84 pitches. The Ravens saw no success against Jay, as he got the final six Franklin Pierce hitters of the afternoon in order to close the door and pick up his 14th save of the season.

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).