Flynn fans nine in first game

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (March 22, 2014) – Freshman second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) hit 4-for-7 with a double, scored twice and drove in three runs over two games on Sunday afternoon, as the No. 30 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team put together a 26-hit barrage in a sweep of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader from Pace at Peter X. Finnerty Field. Franklin Pierce won the first game, 8-3, before posting a 10-1 victory in the second game.

With the sweep, Franklin Pierce improves to 16-8 (3-1 Northeast-10), while Pace falls to 3-9 (0-4 Northeast-10).

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the first game with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Sophomore shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) started things with a two-out infield single and came all the way around to score when senior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) followed with an RBI double the other way into the gap in right-center. Graves then stole third and scored on a wild pitch.

The Ravens picked up two more runs in the top of the fourth to push the lead to 4-0. Junior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) worked a lead-off walk and moved to second on a bunt single by sophomore first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.). After Walsh was picked off at second, O'Herron went to second on a single through the left side of the infield by freshman left fielder Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.). LaVorgna was followed by senior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.), who reached on a fielder's choice, which saw O'Herron erased at third. Hood was next and clubbed a two-run double into the gap in left-center to score LaVorgna and Dunlap.

Pace got on the board with a run in the home half of the fourth to cut the gap to 4-1. Senior right fielder James Pjura opened the inning with a double to left field, moved to third on a fly ball to right field by junior catcher Tom Midolo and later scored on a wild pitch.

Franklin Pierce capitalized on a Pace defensive miscue to plate four unearned runs in the top of the seventh to break the game open and push the lead as high as 8-1. With one out, Hood was hit by a pitch. Brock followed and hit a possible double-play ball to the left side, but senior shortstop Chris Gili committed a fielding error which put runners at first and second with one out. After what would have been an inning-ending flyout if not for the error, junior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) drove in Hood with an RBI single to right field, which also moved Brock around to third. Freshman third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) added an RBI single inside the left-field line to score Brock and push Razzino to third. Walsh then provided the inning's biggest blow, a two-run double to center field to score both Razzino and Jabs.

Pace picked up two runs in the bottom of the ninth to create the 8-3 final. Midolo was hit by a pitch to open the inning, moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a single to right by sophomore pinch hitter Danny Wynne. Another wild pitch scored Midolo and moved Wynne to second. Wynne eventually scored from there on an RBI single to center by senior left fielder David Pepe.

Senior right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) started the first game Sunday for Franklin Pierce. He fired 101 pitches over seven innings, allowed one run on seven hits, walked one, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out nine to pick up the win (2-3).

Senior right-hander Brian Sundberg took the ball and the loss (1-1) on the hill for Pace. Over five innings and 69 pitches, he was touched for four runs on seven hits, walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out one.

Franklin Pierce picked up right where it left off in the second game, scoring three times in the top of the first inning to immediately jump to a 3-0 lead. Graves led off the game with a single to right field, moved to second on a bunt single by Razzino and scored on an RBI single to left by Jabs, as Franklin Pierce opened the game with three straight hits. Razzino had moved to second on the Jabs single, and both runners moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Walsh. Two batters later, LaVorgna plated both Razzino and Jabs when he dumped a two-run single into right-center.

The Ravens took any drama out of the second half of the doubleheader in the top of the third, when they sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs on six hits and a pair of Pace errors to inflate the lead to 10-0. Brock provided the inning's keynote address with a two-run double to center. Jabs and Walsh each had extra-base hits in the inning, as they cracked back-to-back doubles leading off the frame. Walsh picked up an RBI on his two-bagger, while Jabs drove in a run with a single in his second plate appearances of the inning. Hood added an RBI single in the inning as well, while two other runs came home to score on errors.

Pace picked up its lone run of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Senior second baseman Jon Kovel worked a lead-off walk, went first-to-third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single to left by Pepe.

Junior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.) went to the mound in the second game for Franklin Pierce. Over seven innings of work, he allowed one run on four hits, walked two, struck out six and got nine groundball outs against just three flyouts on the way to the win (4-1).

Sophomore right-hander Dylan Mouzakes toed the rubber and took the loss (0-1) for Pace, pitched the first two innings and faced five batters in the third without recording an out before being lifted. Over his two-plus innings, he was touched for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits, walked two and struck out one.

The Ravens are currently scheduled to return to the field on Wednesday, March 26, when they travel to Saint Anselm for a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division contest. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at Sullivan Field in Manchester, N.H.

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).