Patrizio has three extra-base hits on day

RINDGE, N.H. (March 24, 2013) – Senior right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) set the tone for the day with eight innings of two-hit, shutout ball and 10 strikeouts on Sunday afternoon as the Franklin Pierce University baseball team posted a 7-1 win over Saint Rose in the front end of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. In the second game, junior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) went 3-for-5 and scored a run at the top of the order, while freshman second baseman Rich Patrizio (East Northport, N.Y.) and freshman shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) went a combined 4-for-9 with four runs scored and three runs batted in out of the eight and nine holes in a 12-4 Franklin Pierce win.

With the sweep, Franklin Pierce improves to 13-9 (3-0 Northeast-10), while Saint Rose falls to 3-18 (0-4 Northeast-10). The games were originally scheduled to be played at Saint Rose, but were moved to Rindge due to unplayable field conditions. As such, Franklin Pierce played as the visiting team and batted in the top half of each inning in both games.

In the first game, the Ravens opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third inning. Brock led off and dumped a double the other way into the gap in right-center, as Saint Rose freshman center fielder Derek Reed took an inefficient route to the ball. Brock moved to third on a bunt single by Graves and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton, Mass.).

Franklin Pierce added two runs in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 3-0. LaCroix worked a walk leading off, stole second and scored on a looping RBI single into right-center by sophomore catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.), who then stole second as well. Sophomore third baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) was next and hit a ground ball to third. Walsh was not forced on the play but took off for third anyway. As Saint Rose freshman third baseman Chad Adams went to apply the tag, Walsh was able to hotfoot away on the outfield side of the basepath and avoid the glove. Franklin Pierce wound up with runners at first and third and one out after the failed fielder's choice. Patrizio cashed in on the miscue by lifting a sacrifice fly to center field to score Walsh.

The Ravens would tack on a single run in the top of the eighth to stretch the lead to 4-0. With one out, Walsh went the other way and doubled over the head of the right fielder. He would score from second when junior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) followed and bounced an RBI single back through the middle.

Three more runs in the top of the ninth broke the game open and extended the lead all the way to 7-0. With one out, Brock reached on an infield single, stole second and scored when sophomore left fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) turned on a 1-0 pitch and yanked a double down the left-field line. On the next pitch, junior first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.) looped a ball off the end of the bat and into shallow right field which fell and bounced away from the right fielder for an RBI double. LaCroix made it three RBI hits in a row, as he bounced a single back through the middle to plate Mathieu.

Saint Rose got on the board with an unearned run in the bottom half of the ninth to create the 7-1 final. Junior shortstop Joseph Carcone led off the inning and hit a ground ball to a perfectly-positioned Brock at shortstop, but the ball went betwixt his legs and into center field as Carcone reached on an error. Carcone would steal second and move to third on the play as the throw sailed into center field. Senior third baseman Kyle Charron was next and knocked a full-count pitch back through the middle to drive in the run.

Thompson took the ball for Franklin Pierce in the first game and faced just three over the minimum through his eight shutout innings of work. He allowed just two hits, walked two and struck out 10 while throwing 105 pitches to pick up the win (3-0).

Sophomore left-hander Bryan Carr toed the rubber for Saint Rose. He threw eight innings as well, but needed 116 pitches to do so, allowed four runs on seven hits, walked two (one intentionally), threw a wild pitch and struck out six while taking the loss (1-1).

In the second game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second. Walsh started things with a one-strike single into right field. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout by O'Herron.

In the top of the third, the Ravens added two more to increase the lead to 3-0. Brock hit a lead-off ground ball deep in the hole at shortstop and reached with an infield single. He moved to second on a groundout and went to third on a wild pitch before Razzino was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and third. From there, Franklin Pierce executed a delayed double steal which wound up scoring Brock and moving Razzino to second. After a walk to Mathieu and another successful double steal put runners at second and third, Razzino scored on a passed ball.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead to 6-0 with three runs in the top of the fourth. With one out, Patrizio worked a full count and then went the other way into the gap in right-center for a double. After that, Brock was hit by a pitch and Graves lined an infield single off the pitcher to load the bases. Razzino wound up with an infield hit as well, as he chopped a ball off the plate and legged out an RBI single while Patrizio scored. Two batters later, LaCroix drove in two more runs by turning on a 1-1 pitch and lining a single into left field.

Saint Rose got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead in half at 6-3. Freshman second baseman Erik Martin was first to plate and worked a walk on the ninth pitch of the plate appearance, then moved to second on a bunt single by Carcone. Charron, who started the second game on the mound, drove the ball the other way into the power alley in right-center for a two-run double. Charron moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by junior left fielder Scott Hladik.

After three scoreless innings, Franklin Pierce would put the game well out of reach at 12-3 with six runs in the top of the ninth, all unearned, as the first two batters of the inning reached via errors. Patrizio had the big blow of the inning with a two-run triple over the head of a left fielder who misjudged a line drive. Dunlap and Brock both added RBI singles in the frame.

Saint Rose picked up a run in the bottom of the ninth, on a lead-off triple by Reed and an RBI groundout by Martin, to create the 12-4 final.

Junior right-hander Kevin McGowan (Nashua, N.H.) climbed the mound to start for Franklin Pierce in the second game. He needed 100 pitches to get through six innings, allowed three runs on six hits -- only one of which went for extra bases -- walked three and struck out six to pick up the win (2-0). Senior right-hander Matt Horan (Boston, Mass.) threw the final three innings, allowed one run on one hit, walked one and struck out six of the 11 batters he faced to earn his first save as a Raven.

Charron started the second game for Saint Rose, lasted just four innings, got touched for six runs (five earned) on seven hits, walked one, hit three batters, threw two wild pitches and struck out five on the way to the loss (0-2).

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30, when they remain home to host Massachusetts Lowell in a three-game weekend series, which will serve as the opening Northeast Division series for Franklin Pierce. The two teams will meet in a single game at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and in a noon doubleheader on Saturday 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).