Ravens to meet New Haven in Sunday twinbill

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (March 16, 2013) – Sophomore catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) went 4-for-5 and the top four slots in the lineup piled up nine hits on Saturday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University baseball team was defeated, 6-4, by Adelphi in non-conference, neutral-site play at NSU Baseball Complex, on the campus of Nova Southeastern University. Senior first baseman Anthony Zarrella paced the 11-hit Adelphi attack, as he went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and scored three runs.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 8-6 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Adelphi improves to 5-5-1 (0-0 Northeast-10). All six of Franklin Pierce's losses have been by either one or two runs.

Adelphi opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, sophomore shortstop Donato Signore worked a walk and moved to second on a passed ball. After Zarrella was hit by a pitch, junior third baseman Richard Mejia pulled a single through the left side to plate Signore with the game's first run. Junior right fielder Chad Houghton followed and loaded the bases with a single the other way to left before junior designated hitter Kyle Ambury bounced a single through the right side to score Zarrella.

Franklin Pierce cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the third. With two outs, senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.) pushed a double into the gap in right-center and scored when junior first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) knocked an RBI single back up the middle.

The Panthers stretched the lead to 5-1 with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Junior center fielder John Campbell led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch before a single to right by sophomore left fielder Vincent Sharkey put runners at first and third to set the table. Two batters later, Zarrella cleared said table with a three-run home run to right-center field, his second of the season.

Franklin Pierce picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-2. Walsh led off with a single through the left side and moved to second as junior designated hitter Ross Lincoln (Woodstock, Conn.) reached on an error. Two batters later, a fielder's choice erased Lincoln at second, while Walsh moved to third. He would score from there on an RBI single by freshman second baseman Rich Patrizio (East Northport, N.Y.).

The Ravens threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, but instead managed to cut lead to 5-4 with a pair of runs. With one out, Patrizio singled to left and moved to second on a wild pitch in front of freshman shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.), who worked a walk. Junior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) was next and pushed an RBI double down the right-field line to score Patrizio and put runners at second and third. A sacrifice fly by LaCroix cut the lead to one and moved Graves to third as the tying run with the heart of the order coming to the plate. However, Adelphi senior right-hander Dillon McNamara got Mathieu to pop up to second base to neutralize the threat.

Adelphi got an all-important insurance run in the top of the ninth inning which would ultimately create the 6-4 final. With two outs, Zarrella yanked a single through the left side, moved to second on a balk and scored on an RBI single back up the middle by Mejia. Franklin Pierce would get the tying run to the plate in the home half of the ninth, but sophomore third baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) bounced into a double play to end the game.

Junior right-hander Ryan Leach (Farmingdale, Maine) toed the rubber for Franklin Pierce, but did not last long, as he was lifted after the first batter of the second inning. Over one-plus innings, he allowed two runs on four hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out two. Ultimately, Leach would be charged with the loss (0-3), as the Ravens could never get the game tied the rest of the way.

Graduate student left-hander Chris Pabisch started, threw seven innings and picked up the win (1-1) on the hill for Adelphi. He allowed two runs (one earned) on 10 hits, did not issue a walk and struck out two. McNamara took over with two on and the tying run at the plate with one out in the eighth and recorded the final five outs without allowing a run, though both of his inherited runners would score. He allowed one hit on the way to his second save of the season.

The Ravens return to the field on Sunday, March 17, when they take on fellow Northeast-10 member New Haven in a neutral-site, non-conference doubleheader. Both games are scheduled for seven innings, and first pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at McCusker Sports Complex on the campus of Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.

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).