Baseball Rides Cotes Arm To 5-2 Win At Bentley
![Baseball Rides Cotes Arm To 5-2 Win At Bentley](/images/bb/2007-08/action/prestoaction/Team03.jpg?max_width=600)
Senior tosses eight innings for fourth win of season
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WALTHAM, Mass. (April 7, 2009) –
Senior left-hander Tom Cote
(Swanzey, N.H./Univ. of Massachusetts) allowed just two runs
on four hits over eight innings on Tuesday afternoon to lead the
Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a 5-2 victory at
Bentley in Northeast-10 Conference play at DeFelice Field. Senior
right-hander Brett Fistes (South Deerfield, Mass./Greenfield)
struck out nine over seven innings for Bentley in defeat.
Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the
third inning. Freshman catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal
Spellman) led off with a double into the gap in left-center
field and scored three batters later on an RBI single through the
right side by senior left fielder Ted Lerud (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug
Regional).
Bentley then took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the bottom half of
the third. With one out, freshman left fielder Mark Lane
(Tyngsboro, Mass./Tyngsboro) singled to right field and came all
the way around to score on a triple into the left-center field gap
by sophomore third baseman Ross Curley (Lexington,
Mass./Lexington). Curley would score himself when junior center
fielder Brett Damato (Commack, N.Y./Commack) followed with an RBI
groundout to third base.
Franklin Pierce tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth
inning. Sophomore designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett
Regional) led off and reached on an error by the shortstop.
He then stole second and scored on an RBI single to left by
Dowd.
The Ravens took a 3-2 lead and never looked back with a run in the
top of the sixth inning. Fifth-year center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack
HS) led off with a bunt single, stole second and moved to
third when junior second baseman Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa./Univ. of
Massachusetts) reached on an error. Hicks then scored when
sophomore shortstop Jose Macias
(Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) followed with an RBI single to
center field.
Franklin Pierce tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the seventh
inning to widen the gap and create the 5-2 final. With one out,
junior right fielder Kevin Rivers
(Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) drove a double to right
field and then scored when Lerud followed with a single down the
left-field line. Lerud then stole second and scored on a double by
freshman third baseman Ben Benigno
(Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull).
Cote started on the mound and picked up the win (4-2) for Franklin
Pierce. Over eight innings, he surrendered two runs on four hits,
walked three, threw a wild pitch and struck out four. Sophomore
right-hander Rob Nicholas
(Northboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) allowed one hit and
walked one in a scoreless ninth inning to tally his third save of
the season.
Fistes threw the first seven innings and took the loss (2-4) for
Bentley. He was touched up for five runs (three earned) on 12 hits,
did not issue a walk and struck out nine.
The Ravens (15-12, 6-3 Northeast-10) return to the field on
Wednesday, April 8, when they return home to host Southern
Connecticut State in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. First pitch
is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field in
Rindge, N.H. Bentley (17-12, 8-4 Northeast-10) returns to action on
April 8 at Stonehill.