RINDGE, N.H. (April 5, 2017) – No. 7/12 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire came up with just three hits on Wednesday afternoon at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field, but made a first-inning run stand up the rest of the way to pull out a 1-0 road win over the Franklin Pierce University baseball team. Junior right-hander Mitchell Powers authored a five-hit shutout and struck out eight on the hill for the Penmen, who were also the beneficiaries of six hit batsmen and four walks on the way to the win.

With the loss, the Ravens fall to 13-8 (5-2 NE10, 4-1 NE Div.), while Southern New Hampshire improves to 18-5 (6-1 NE10, 4-1 NE Div.).

Powers (2-2) was the story of the afternoon on Wednesday, as he needed just 105 pitches (68 strikes) to shutout the Ravens for his second complete game of the season. He surrendered five hits, walked two, threw a wild pitch and struck out eight while facing 32 batters, just five over the minimum. Powers shut the door with authority down the stretch, as he retired the final 11 batters of the game and did not surrender a hit after the fifth inning.

SNHU scratched together the only run of the ballgame in the top of the first inning, as the game's very first batter was the only man to score all afternoon. Graduate student third baseman Zach Goldstein led off and took the third pitch of the game the other way, over the bag at third and down the left-field line. Franklin Pierce junior left fielder Tim Going (Islip, N.Y.) hurried over, made a strong throw to second and nearly threw out the speedy Goldstein, who narrowly slid in head-first with a leadoff double.

Goldstein then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior shortstop Kyle Pangallo, and came home to score on a second-pitch, RBI groundout on the right side by sophomore right fielder John Stanton.

Franklin Pierce was not without its chances to draw even, as it put runners into scoring position in the first, third and sixth innings. With one out in the first, junior third baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) and junior first baseman Dalton Davis (Birmingham, Ala.) came up with singles through the right side of the infield on back-to-back pitches to get something started. However, junior catcher Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.) was next and bounced into an inning-ending, 5-4-3 double play on the first pitch.

The best chance for the Ravens came in the bottom of the third. Junior center fielder Harrison Smoske (Burlington, Mass.) dropped down a bunt to open the frame, but pushed it back in the direction of the pitcher. Powers came off the mound toward the third base side and fielded cleanly, but his throw to first pulled junior first baseman Ryan Sullivan off the bag, leaving Smoske safe on an error. After a sacrifice bunt by senior shortstop Lucas Luopa (Keene, N.H.), it was a runner at second and one away for Friday.

Friday went the other way with the first pitch and dumped a looping single into right-center field. Smoske hesitated momentarily to read the ball, but then tore around third heading for home. Stanton came in to field the ball from right field and fired a throw right on the money to the plate. Senior catcher Cam Oliveira took the throw and applied the tag as Smoske slid in, with the latter erased at the plate on a bang-bang play for the second out. Friday took second on the throw to the plate, but was stranded there, as Davis struck out on six pitches to end the inning.

In the sixth, a pair of walks -- to Luopa and Davis -- sandwiched around a groundout put runners at first and second with one away, before a wild pitch made it runners at the corners. However, Octave struck out, junior right fielder Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.) was retired on a soft line drive to shortstop to end the inning, and no Raven would reach base the rest of the way.

Junior right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.) got the start on the mound for the Ravens and threw 87 pitches (55 strikes) over five-plus innings (he faced one batter in the sixth). He allowed one run on one hit, walked two, hit three batters, struck out five and was stuck with the loss (2-1).

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, April 8, when they remain home to host New Haven in an NE10 doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon at Pappas Field.

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).