Steeves Lights Out as Baseball Opens Busy Week with 4-2 Win at Saint Anselm

MANCHESTER, N.H. (May 1, 2018) – After the Franklin Pierce University baseball team had surrendered two runs at Saint Anselm in the bottom of the first on Tuesday afternoon, graduate student right-hander Sam Steeves (Dorchester, Mass.) took the ball for the second inning and said "No more!" on behalf of the Ravens. In the signature outing of his career, Steeves fired eight scoreless innings of relief, allowed just four hits and struck out five. Meanwhile, Franklin Pierce scored single runs in the third and fourth innings, and followed with a pair in the sixth to rally for a 4-2 win in Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division play at Sullivan Park. Senior right fielder Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.) went 3-for-5 with a home run and scored twice for the Ravens.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 28-12-1 (17-6 NE10, 12-5 NE Div.), while Saint Anselm falls to 11-24 (5-16 NE10, 5-12 NE Div.). The game opened a stretch of five games in four days for the Ravens to close out the regular season. Franklin Pierce and Saint Anselm will meet again on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Sullivan Park to wrap up the three-game season series. The Ravens have taken each of the first two meetings.

Steeves (1-1) stole the show on the first day of May, as he came on in relief in just the second inning, in a game where the Ravens could not afford to burn through too much of the bullpen at the start of such a busy stretch of schedule. Steeves made sure it would not be an issue, as he went the rest of the way himself, using 91 pitches (56 strikes) to take care of the final eight innings without allowing a run. He surrendered just four hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out five to hold down the fort and allow the Ravens to rally. Over his eight innings on the hill, Steeves allowed just three runners to reach third base and only five runners to reach scoring position, all of which he stranded over there.

Steeves took over for junior right-hander Shane Kittila (Warwick, R.I.), who started and allowed both of Saint Anselm's runs in the bottom of the first inning, on four hits. The Hawks jumped out front 11 pitches into the frame, as senior shortstop Max Wadington singled into right-center, stole second, and then scored on a single through the right side of the infield by freshman second baseman Matthew Butigian. Butigian then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and later scored on an RBI single to left by senior first baseman Dan Bodi.

Franklin Pierce notched an unearned run in the top of the third, and another tally in the top of the fourth, to draw even at 2-2. In the third, sophomore second baseman James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) reached with two outs on an errant throw by Wadington, who threw on the run from the left side of the infield, despite appearing to have time to set and throw. An errant pickoff throw moved Boria to second, and then he scored on an RBI single into left field by sophomore shortstop Joe Napolitano (Port St. Lucie, Fla.).

In the fourth, it was more two-out damage, this time courtesy of Tower. With the count full, he drove the sixth pitch of the at-bat on a line over the fence in straightaway center field for his team-leading eighth home run of the season.

Two innings later, the Ravens would take the lead and create the 4-2 final with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Tower led off with a single back through the middle, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored what would stand as the game-winning run on an RBI single back up the middle by Boria. The throw back to the infield got away from the cutoff man, which allowed Boria to take second on the play. With the next batter at the plate, Boria took off for third on a stolen-base attempt. Saint Anselm freshman catcher Max Silverman airmailed the throw well above the reach of the third baseman and down the left-field line, which allowed Boria to trot home to score.

Steeves only faced a serious threat once after the Ravens took the lead. The Hawks put the tying runs on second and third with two outs in the home half of the seventh, for their cleanup hitter, no less. Steeves was equal to the challenge, as he struck out junior right fielder Connor Parent on five pitches to strand both runners. Steeves then allowed only one baserunner over the final two innings while finishing things off.

For Saint Anselm, sophomore right-hander Jared Ferris had started on the mound and did not factor in the decision after 4.2 innings of work. He threw 90 pitches (49 strikes), allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, walked three and struck out one. Sophomore left-hander Elijah Fish (0-1) took over and took the loss in relief despite throwing only 16 pitches (seven strikes), as he faced five batters and retired only two of them. Fish was ultimately charged with two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk.

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).