Graves picks up RBI on suicide squeeze

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 21, 2013) – Senior right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) struck out a career-high 14 over eight innings of three-hit ball on Thursday night to lead the No. 9/12 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team to a 2-1 win over Felician on Opening Day in non-conference, neutral-site play at The Ripken Experience. Senior left-hander Vladimir Camacho (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) stranded the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first career save and preserve the victory.

With the win, Franklin Pierce opens the season at 1-0 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Felician falls to 3-2 (0-0 Central Atlantic). The game is the first of five scheduled contests for Franklin Pierce while at The Ripken Experience.

Thompson's initial start of the campaign inspired visions of his remarkable 2011 season, as he held the Golden Falcons to one run while walking only two on the way to the win (1-0). The 14 strikeouts marked the sixth double-digit strikeout performance of his career, and his fifth game of 10-plus strikeouts with two-or-fewer walks. Thompson's previous career high was 13 strikeouts, which he accomplished twice as a sophomore in 2011. On Thursday, he struck out six in a row in a stretch spanning the fourth through sixth innings, and struck out the side in order twice, including in the top of the eighth to conclude his outing.

The Ravens opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. With one out, junior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) dropped down a bunt single, moved to second on a groundout and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Franklin Pierce doubled the lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth, when senior left fielder Eric Romano (North Branford, Conn.) drew a lead-off walk and was lifted for sophomore pinch runner Ryan Boswell (New Bedford, Mass.). Boswell moved to second on a groundout, took third on a passed ball and scored when Graves laid down his second bunt single of the game, this one earning him an RBI on the squeeze play.

Felician closed the gap to 2-1 with its lone run in the bottom of the seventh. Senior third baseman Mike Farrell worked a lead-off walk and came all the way around to score when freshman first baseman Scott DeJong followed with an RBI triple.

The Golden Falcons threatened to tie, or perhaps win, the game in the bottom of the ninth, working against Camacho, who is new to the closer role after spending time as both a starter and middle reliever last season. With one out, the southpaw issued back-to-back walks to put himself in hot water. He settled in from there though, striking out junior pinch hitter Chris Faber and inducing a groundball from freshman right fielder Matt Caposio to end the game and earn the save (1).

Junior right-hander Stephen Paladino took the ball and the loss (0-1) for Felician in his first start of the season. Over six innings, he allowed two runs on six hits, walked three and struck out three.

The Ravens return to the field tomorrow, with a slightly adjusted schedule. The team has split its originally-scheduled Saturday doubleheader against Chestnut Hill, moving one game to Friday at 10:30 a.m. Also on Friday, Franklin Pierce will square off with West Virginia Wesleyan at 3:30 p.m. The other game against Chestnut Hill remains at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday for now, though wet weather is expected in the area, which may lead to further schedule changes.

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).