Flynn fans 10 in first game

Box score (Game 1)
Box score (Game 2)

RINDGE, N.H. (April 5, 2014) – Junior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) of the No. 30 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team stole five bases in the second game on Saturday afternoon to push his season total to 33, in just 32 games. The total set a new single-season record for Franklin Pierce, breaking the mark of 32, set by Cliff Hicks in 2009. Razzino also went 2-for-3, scored three runs and drove in two in the game, as the Ravens capped a doubleheader sweep with a 15-8 win over American International in Northeast-10 Conference cross-division play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 21-11 (8-4 Northeast-10, 3-3 Northeast Division), while American International falls to 6-14 (1-9 Northeast-10, 1-2 Southwest Division). Franklin Pierce won the first game of the day, 4-3.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the first game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Junior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) opened the inning with a sharp, line-drive comebacker, which glanced off the glove of AIC sophomore right-hander Harrison Paige and into his face. After a delay to check on his well-being, Paige was able to stay in the game.

A sacrifice bunt by senior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) moved Walsh to second and he scored from there when freshman left fielder Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) went the other way for an RBI double down the right-field line. As LaVorgna turned first, the right fielder could not field the ball cleanly, which allowed LaVorgna to take third as well. He would score from third when sophomore first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) followed and laid down a squeeze bunt.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 3-0 with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) led off with a single to right field and moved to second when senior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Razzino was next and hit a possible double play ball back to the pitcher, but Paige was unable to make an accurate throw to second, which left everyone safe and the bases loaded with no outs. Two batters later, Walsh brought home the run with an RBI groundout to first base.

AIC cut the gap to 3-1 with a run in the top of the seventh. Junior right fielder David Kerlejza took a five-pitch walk leading off the inning and went first-to-third on a double down the left-field line by sophomore left fielder Tyler Geffert. The two-bagger was the end of the line for Franklin Pierce senior right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.), who departed with the tying run at the plate after six-plus innings. Junior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.) took over and faced junior first baseman Mike Coyne, who grounded out to shortstop, but picked up an RBI in the process as Vallas came home to score.

Franklin Pierce answered immediately with a run in the home half of the seventh to make it a 4-1 game. O'Herron led off the inning, got an 0-2 pitch which stayed up in the zone and deposited it beyond the left-field fence for his first home run of the season. The ball cleared the fence just to the left of the 365-foot marker in the left-center field gap.

AIC picked up another run in the top of the eighth to cut the gap to 4-2. With one out, graduate student catcher Dan Fenton led off with a soft ground ball up the third-base line. Freshman third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) elected to attempt to let the ball roll foul, but it stayed fair for an infield single. Fenton moved around to third on a double down the left-field line by senior center fielder Dan Asselin, which spelled the end of Fahey's day, as the Ravens went to junior right-hander Doug Willey (Shelburne, N.H.), looking for the five-out save.

Willey issued an intentional walk to junior designated hitter Lucas Vallas to pitch to Kerlejza instead, and the latter lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Fenton. After an infield single loaded the bases, Willey got Coyne to line out to left field to end the threat.

Things got dicey again in the top of the ninth, as the Yellow Jackets would pick up another run to create the 4-3 final. Freshman pinch hitter Garrett Demers knocked a lead-off single to right field and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Justin Carey, who moved to second as sophomore shortstop Eddie Ritch worked a seven-pitch walk. Senior third baseman Cam MacDonald was next and attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but wound up with a bunt single as confusion reigned on the play for the Franklin Pierce defense, which couldn't decide which base to throw to and threw to none instead.

Fenton followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Carey. The next batter was Asselin, who hit a fly ball to moderate-depth left field for the second out. The play turned into a game-ending double play, as Ritch inexplicably attempted to tag from second base, before second-guessing himself and getting caught in a rundown he could not escape.

Flynn faced 24 batters over six-plus innings and threw 108 pitches in his outing. He allowed one run on three hits, walked three and struck out 10 on the way to the win (5-2). Willey threw the final 1.2 innings, allowed one run on three hits and issued two walks (one intentional) while picking up his eighth save of the campaign.

Paige wound up going the distance and throwing 105 pitches for AIC in the complete-game loss (2-2). Over the eight innings, he allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out five.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the second game by sending 10 men to the plate to score six runs in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) had the big blow of the inning with a two-run double down the left-field line. Also in the inning, Razzino drove in a run with a hit-and-run single through the right side, Jabs drove in a run as he reached on an error after hitting a groundball to first and LaVorgna brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to right field. The remaining run scored from third on an errant throw to second in an attempt to throw out a stealing Razzino.

AIC picked up a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-2. Freshman second baseman Anthony Crudale led off with a single to center field and moved to second two batters later on a first-pitch single through the right side of the infield by MacDonald. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third with two outs, both scored on a two-run single dropped inside the right-field line by Asselin.

Another run for AIC in the top of the sixth cut the gap to 6-3. Junior right fielder Andy Cherico took a four-pitch walk leading off, which meant the end of the day for junior right-hander Brendan O'Rourke (Shrewsbury, Mass.), who was relieved after five-plus innings by sophomore right-hander Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass.). Cherico stole second and later moved to third on a groundout. Covelle later issued three consecutive walks to load the bases and then force home a run. Graduate student left-hander Rob Corsi (Oceanport, N.Y.) took over on the mound and got Ritch to ground out to second to end the inning.

Franklin Pierce broke the game back open with five more runs in the home half of the sixth to stretch the lead to 11-3 as nine Ravens came to the plate. Jabs had an RBI triple into the right-field corner and Dunlap had an RBI double down the right-field line in the inning, while Razzino and LaVorgna both hit RBI singles. Jabs scored the inning's remaining run on a wild pitch.

AIC scored once in the top of the seventh to make it 11-4. Asselin clubbed a leadoff triple into the gap in right-center field and came home to score on a balk.

The Ravens tallied four more runs in the bottom of the seventh to push the lead as high as 15-4 by sending 10 more men to the plate. Things got sloppy defensively for AIC, as the Yellow Jackets issued three walks, had three passed balls, threw one wild pitch and committed an error in the inning. Graves had an RBI double in the frame, while junior pinch hitter Bryan Dionicio drove in a run with an infield single.

AIC picked up four runs, courtesy of five walks, in the top of the ninth to create the 15-8 final. Crudale had a two-run single which dropped just inside the right-field line in the inning, while the other two runs were forced home by bases-loaded walks.

O'Rourke threw the first five innings for Franklin Pierce and faced one batter in the sixth before departing. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out nine to pick up the win (5-1).

Sophomore right-hander Colin Sledzik started and threw the first five innings on the hill for AIC. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked three, struck out nine and ultimately took the loss (0-2).

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 9, 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 12 against Merrimack in a noon doubleheader.

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).