Errors abound throughout twinbill

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (April 19, 2015) – A two-run double by freshman third baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) tied the game in the top of the sixth inning on Sunday afternoon, as the No. 1/3 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team rallied from a 6-2 deficit to record a 10-8 win and complete a doubleheader sweep of Merrimack on the road in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division play at Warrior Baseball Diamond. In the first game, senior right-hander Travis Landry (Loudon, N.H.) came on in the ninth and stranded the bases loaded to nail down a 4-3 Ravens win.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 34-2 (16-1 Northeast-10, 12-1 Northeast Division) and has won 15 in a row for the second time this year, while Merrimack falls to 13-14 (7-9 Northeast-10, 5-9 Northeast Division). Franklin Pierce is now one off of the program record of 16 straight wins, which was set earlier this season. The doubleheader sweep also completed a sweep of the three-game season series for the Ravens.

In Sunday's first game, the Ravens opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Junior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) reached on an error, moved to second on an errant pickoff, took third on a flyout and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by senior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.).

Merrimack answered immediately, with an unearned run of its own in the home half of the first. Junior third baseman Frank Crinella singled to left with one out and then went first-to-third on an errant pickoff throw. He would score from there on an RBI groundout by sophomore second baseman Cam DiSarcina.

Franklin Pierce put together three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-1 lead it would not relinquish. Each of the first four batters of the inning singled, as Razzino reached on an infield single, senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) singled to center to drive in the run after Razzino stole second, junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) singled to center, and then sophomore designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) singled to center to score Walsh. O'Herron moved to third on the LaVorgna single and then scored while LaVorgna was caught stealing in the first-and-third situation.

Merrimack cut the gap to 4-2 with a run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, sophomore right fielder Tyler Lyne reached on an error and moved to second as Crinella walked. DiSarcina followed and reached on an infield single, with Lyne coming around to score on an errant throw on the play.

The Warriors made it 4-3 with another run in the bottom of the sixth. Junior center fielder Bobby Losanno was hit by a pitch leading off, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by junior catcher Pat Florence.

Merrimack threatened to tie or win the game in the home half of the ninth. Senior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.) hit senior pinch hitter Dionys Quezada leading off, and the latter was replaced by senior pinch runner John Pastyrnak. Fahey gave way to Landry, who came on to face the top of the order. Lyne dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Pastyrnak to second, and then the Ravens elected to intentionally walk Crinella. DiSarcina followed with a single to left to load the bases with one away, but then Landry struck out junior first baseman Sean O'Neill and junior designated hitter Matt Brown on a combined eight pitches to pick up his second save of the season.

Junior right-hander Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass.) threw 73 pitches (43 strikes) over the first 4.1 innings on the mound for the Ravens. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits, walked four (one intentionally), struck out one and did not factor in the decision. Fahey fired 51 pitches (37 strikes) over the next 3.2 innings, before Landry came on to finish things up. Fahey allowed one run on two hits, hit two batters and struck out three while picking up the win (5-2) out of the bullpen.

On the other side, senior right-hander Joe Carnevale went the distance and threw 116 pitches (75 strikes) over nine innings for Merrimack. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out seven while taking the complete-game loss (4-2).

In the second game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the second. O'Herron led off with a single to right, but was forced out at second base from right field, as a fly ball from LaVorgna dropped in the outfield, leaving LaVorgna with a fielder's choice. LaVorgna moved around to third on an errant pickoff throw before sophomore second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Junior left fielder Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) followed with an RBI bunt single to score LaVorgna, while Hood scored on an RBI single to center by Friday.

Merrimack surged to a 3-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third. Crinella led off with a double down the right-field line and later moved to third as O'Neill reached on an error by Razzino in right. Brown was next and cashed in both runners with a two-run double down the right-field line. Brown in turn moved to third on a bunt single by Losanno and scored on a passed ball.

The Warriors pushed their lead to 6-2 with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, which led to the early exit of senior right-hander Conor Gleason (North Stonington, Conn.). Crinella led off with a double again, this one down the left-field line, and came all the way around to score while DiSarcina reached at second on an error by freshman left fielder Daren Grabowski (Berlin, Conn.). O'Neill was next with an RBI double to left to score DiSarcina and knock Gleason out of the game in favor of junior right-hander Tim Norton (Berlin, Conn.). Norton struck out the first man he faced, before Losanno dropped down a squeeze bunt to drive in O'Neill with a sacrifice.

Franklin Pierce was able to creep closer and cut the gap to 6-3 with a run in the top of the fifth. Sophomore shortstop Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) knocked a one-out single to right, moved to third on a double into left-center by Razzino and scored on an RBI groundout by Walsh.

The Ravens then seized control of the game with their second seven-run inning of the weekend, this one in the top of the sixth to take a 10-6 lead. Friday had the inning's biggest blow, with a two-run, game-tying double down the left-field line. White and Walsh each added RBI singles in the inning, while O'Herron brought in a run with a sacrifice bunt and Jabs drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Merrimack scored twice in the home half of the sixth, but ultimately stranded the tying runs in scoring position, and neither team would score again the rest of the way. DiSarcina led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk and moved to second on a bunt single by Brown, before an infield single by Losanno loaded the bases. Sophomore left fielder Ryan Petrone followed with a two-run single to left to score both DiSarcina and Brown.

Gleason needed 76 pitches (48 strikes) to throw just three-plus innings in the second game. He was ultimately tagged for six runs (three earned) on nine hits, walked three, struck out five and did not factor in the decision after being bailed out by the offense. Junior right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass.) would later work the fifth inning and start the sixth to pick up the win (2-0) out of the bullpen. In his one inning of hitless work, he allowed one run, walked one and struck out one. Sophomore right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.) took over with the tying run at the plate in the eighth, recorded the final six outs and did not allow a run or a hit while facing just seven batters over two innings to notch his second save of the year.

Meanwhile, sophomore right-hander Perry Kulaga tossed 77 pitches (57 strikes) over five-plus innings for Merrimack. He surrendered seven runs on 13 hits, hit a batter and struck out one while taking the loss (0-1).

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 22, when they travel to Southern New Hampshire for the rubber game of the three-game, Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division season series between the two teams. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Penmen Field in Manchester, N.H.

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).