Ravens and Marauders to play twice again Sunday

Box Score: Game One
Box Score: Game Two

THOMASVILLE, N.C. (March 1, 2014) – Sophomore first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) went 3-for-5 and junior right fielder John Razzino (Cumberland, R.I.) clubbed a solo home run in the second game on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 9/13 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team picked up a 6-4 win to force a doubleheader split with No. 19 Millersville in neutral-site, non-conference play at historic Finch Field. Junior right-hander Chris Murphy spun a three-hit shutout and struck out 10 in the first game of the day, as Millersville won, 10-0.

With the split, Franklin Pierce now stands at 5-2 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Millersville moves to 7-3 (0-0 Pennsylvania State). The two teams will meet again on Sunday in another doubleheader at Finch Field. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.

In the first game of the day, Millersville got the only run it would need in the top of the first inning. With one out, junior right fielder Kurt Seiders worked a walk, moved to second on a single through the left side by senior left fielder Zach Stone and scored on an RBI double down the left-field line by senior designated hitter Dan Johnson.

Meanwhile, Murphy set about his outstanding afternoon on the mound for the Marauders. He allowed just two baserunners over the first five innings, and just five baserunners for the game, on his way to the three-hit shutout and the win (3-1). Murphy issued one walk, hit one batter and struck out 10 while facing just two over the minimum, thanks to three double plays turned behind him.

Later, Millersville picked up two runs in the top of the fifth to push the lead to 3-0. Stone opened the inning with an infield single and would score when Johnson followed with a two-run home run to left field, his first of the season.

Three more runs in the top of the sixth broke the game open and doubled the lead to 6-0. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Orris worked a lead-off walk and stole second. Two batters later, with one out, freshman center fielder Shas McCormick worked another walk and wound up on second on the play as the fourth ball was a wild pitch which also allowed Orris to take third. After a strikeout and an intentional walk of Stone loaded the bases with two outs, another wild pitch scored Orris and left both McCormick and Stone in scoring position. Johnson followed with a two-run single back up the middle to drive home his fourth and fifth runs of the afternoon.

Millersville tacked on three in the seventh and one in the eighth to create the 10-0 final. In the seventh, senior second baseman Mark Stuckey cranked a two-run homer to left-center, his first of the season, and Stone brought home a run with a sacrifice fly. In the eighth, Orris capped the scoring with an RBI single to right field.

Senior right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) took the ball for Franklin Pierce and threw the first five innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits, walked three, struck out nine and suffered the loss (1-1). Most of the ensuing damage came against junior right-hander Conor Gleason (North Stonington, Conn.), who was ultimately charged with six runs on three hits over just 1.1 innings. He walked four (one intentionally), threw two wild pitches and struck out four.

Millersville opened the scoring in the second game as well, with a run in the top of the first inning. McCormick led off, knocked a double to right field and scored two batters later on an RBI single to left by Johnson.

The Marauders doubled the gap to 2-0 with a run in the top of the fourth. Sophomore first baseman Dan Stoltzfus opened the frame with a single to left, moved to second on a single to left by junior third baseman Tyler McDonald and took third as a walk to freshman catcher Mitch Stoltzfus loaded the bases with one away. After a strikeout, the lineup flipped back to the top for McCormick, who worked a walk to pick up an RBI and force home Dan Stoltzfus.

After 12 scoreless innings to start the day, Franklin Pierce woke up the bats in the bottom half of the fourth and stormed to the lead with three runs. Junior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) started things with a one-out walk and moved to second when O'Herron followed and reached on an error. After a single through the right side by freshman third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) loaded the bases, senior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.) clubbed a two-run double into the gap in right-center to plate Walsh and O'Herron. Jabs moved to third on the Dunlap double before a hit batsman loaded the bases. With the bases full and one out, junior Rob Chooljian (Hampton, N.H.) came to the plate as a pinch hitter and was also hit by a pitch to drive home Jabs.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 4-2 with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Razzino opened the inning with a solo home run to left-center field, his first of the season and the second of his career.

Millersville closed within a run at 4-3 with a run in the top of the sixth. With one out, Orris was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored two batters later on a double to left field by Seiders.

Franklin Pierce responded immediately with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth to make it a 6-3 game. Sophomore shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) was the first man to the plate and worked a lead-off walk. He moved to second on a single down the left-field line by senior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) and went to third two batters later when Walsh was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded again for the Ravens, O'Herron came through with a two-run single to right field to score both Brock and Graves.

Millersville picked up a run in the top of the seventh, but could get no closer, as it wound up creating the 6-4 final. With one out, Stuckey started things with a single back up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on the play as Walsh committed a throwing error. Stuckey would later score on an RBI single through the right side by Mitch Stoltzfus.

Graduate student left-hander Rob Corsi (Oceanport, N.J.) took the ball in the second game for Franklin Pierce, but could not get through the five innings required to pick up the win. Over 4.2 innings, he allowed two runs on eight hits, walked three, threw a wild pitch and struck out six. Later, junior right-hander Doug Willey (Shelburne, N.H.) threw shutout ball over the final 2.1 innings, walked one and struck out two to pick up the win (1-0).

Freshman right-hander Brandon Miller started for Millersville, but would not get out of the fourth inning. Over just 3.1, he allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out two while taking the loss (1-2).

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).