Lundin fires seven shutout in first collegiate start

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 21, 2015) – Senior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) went 2-for-4 with a triple and a three-run, inside-the-park home run in the first game on Saturday, as the No. 19/22 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team rolled to a 9-1 win over Chestnut Hill in non-conference, neutral-site play at The Ripken Experience. Later in the day, senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a long solo home run as the Ravens defeated Molloy, 6-2.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 3-0 (0-0 Northeast-10). Chestnut Hill fell to 1-1 (0-0 Central Atlantic) before defeating Southern Connecticut State later in the day, while Molloy fell to 0-3 (0-0 East Coast) after losing to Stonehill earlier in the day. For Franklin Pierce, it is the third straight season the team has opened their five-game trip to Myrtle Beach at 3-0.

Backing up Razzino's offensive exploits against Chestnut Hill was sophomore right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.), who took the ball in the second game of the season for Franklin Pierce and made his first collegiate start. He did not disappoint, as he blitzed through seven shutout, one-hit innings, did not issue a walk and struck out 12 on the way to the win (1-0). Junior right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass.), junior left-hander Gage Griffin (Moosup, Conn.) and sophomore right-hander Dylan Dennis (Wakefield, Mass.) each logged two-thirds of an inning as the quartet combined to toss a two-hitter.

Meanwhile, the Franklin Pierce offense plated three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Junior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) and sophomore left fielder Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) led off with back-to-back singles to open the game, and both would come around to score on a two-run double by Walsh, who drove in four runs across the two games. Walsh would later steal third and score on an errant throw to third by Chestnut Hill junior catcher Robert Slagle III.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 4-0 with an unearned run in the top of the second. Sophomore second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) lashed a one-out single and wound up at second base on an error on the play. He scored from there when junior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) followed with an RBI single.

Four more runs in the top of the fifth inning stretched the lead to 8-0 and all but put the game on ice. Brock reached on an error to open the frame and moved to second when Sheehan followed and was hit by a pitch. LaVorgna was next with a ground-rule double to drive home Brock and push Sheehan around to third. Both runners would score when Razzino followed with his first home run of the season, an inside-the-park job to center field.

The Ravens pushed the lead as high as 9-0 in the top of the seventh, when Razzino tripled and later scored on a sacrifice fly to right by freshman catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec), who took over behind the plate the rest of the way to give Walsh a breather before the second game.

Chestnut Hill scratched out a run in the bottom of the ninth to create the 9-1 final. Freshman Benjamin Condello worked a lead-off walk, moved to second on an error, took third on a groundout and scored on an RBI groundout by senior Allen Umbenhauer.

Junior right-hander Zachary Crim started on the hill and threw the first five innings for Chestnut Hill. He was touched for eight runs (five earned) on seven hits, did not issue a walk, hit three batters and struck out one while taking the loss (0-1).

Franklin Pierce played as the home team in the second game and surrendered an unearned run to Molloy in the top of the first to start things off. Sophomore center fielder Brian Murphy walked to open the game, stole second and later came around to score as junior designated hitter Michael Rahn reached on an error by Brock at shortstop.

The Ravens responded in the bottom of the second inning to level the game at 1-1. Sophomore third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) clubbed a one-out double, took third on a passed ball and later scored on an RBI groundout by Hood.

Franklin Pierce took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the third. LaVorgna worked a one-out walk, stole second and later scored on an RBI single by Walsh. Walsh then stole second and scored on an RBI single by junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.).

Molloy closed the gap to 3-2 with a run in the top of the fourth. With one out, senior left fielder John Galanoudis clubbed a solo home run.

The Ravens extended the lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and nobody on, Walsh hammered a long solo home run, his first of the season. O'Herron followed with a two-out single, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Jabs.

An unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning created the 6-2 final. Senior designated hitter Bryan Dionicio (West Hartford, Conn.) hit a one-out double, moved to third as Hood reached on an error, and scored on an RBI single by Brock.

Junior right-hander Miles Sheehan (Madison, Conn.) started the second game on Saturday for Franklin Pierce, threw the first two innings and did not factor in the decision. He allowed one unearned run on one hit, walked one and struck out two. Senior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.) later threw three shutout innings of relief, allowed one hit, walked two, hit a batter and struck out five to get credited with the win (1-0) out of the bullpen. Senior right-hander Doug Willey (Shelburne, N.H.) struck out the side in order in the ninth to pick up his first save of the campaign.

Sophomore right-hander Ronald Bauer started and threw the first five innings for Molloy. He allowed five runs on seven hits, walked three, hit two batters and struck out four while taking the loss (0-1).

The Ravens return to the field on Sunday, Feb. 22, when they wrap up their five-game, season-opening trip to Myrtle Beach. Franklin Pierce will take on Mercy at 9 a.m. and Bridgeport at noon at The Ripken Experience.

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).