Routhier drives home four

RINDGE, N.H. (March 27, 2014) – The No. 26 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team came home for a wild affair after 24 straight games away from Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field to open the season. The Ravens piled up 10 runs on 14 hits, highlighted by a 2-for-5 day from freshman designated hitter Adam Routhier (Goffstown, N.H.), who drove in four runs, but seven walks and three errors would be the team's undoing in an 11-10 loss to Saint Anselm in the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division opener for both squads.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 16-9 (3-2 Northeast-10, 0-1 Northeast Division), while Saint Anselm improves to 7-11 (1-0 Northeast-10, 1-0 Northeast Division).

Saint Anselm opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore center fielder Ken Morrisino led off the game with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. He later scored on an RBI single to center by freshman left fielder Mack Finnegan. Finnegan moved to second on a single through the left side by junior first baseman Joe Morin and scored on an RBI single back through the middle by senior second baseman Kyle Grumoli.

The Hawks pushed the lead to 3-0 with another run in the top of the second. Sophomore catcher Allan McQuarrie led off the inning and reached on a throwing error by Franklin Pierce freshman third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.). McQuarrie moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior shortstop Tito Lluberes and scored two batters later when freshman third baseman Nick Bragole dumped an RBI double into the gap in left-center.

Franklin Pierce erased the deficit and tied the game at 3-3 with three runs in the home half of the second. With one out, freshman left fielder Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) went the other way for a single into right-center and stole second base. He scored from there when freshman second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) followed and lifted an RBI triple over the head of the center fielder. Hood scored as Routhier kept the line moving with an RBI single back up the middle. Routhier went to second as freshman shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) reached on an error, moved to third on a single through the left side by senior center fielder Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass.) and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by junior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.).

Saint Anselm jumped back out front with four runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead. Bragole worked a walk to open the frame, moved to second on a sacrifice fly and went to third on an infield single by Finnegan. Sophomore first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) made an ill-advised throw on the play and threw the ball away, which allowed Bragole to score and Finnegan to move to second, before a walk to Morin put runners at first and second and spelled the end of the day for Franklin Pierce senior right-hander Ryan Leach (Farmingdale, Maine), who left after 4.1 innings. Sophomore right-hander Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass.) retired the first batter he faced, but then surrendered a long home run to right-center field off the bat of senior designated hitter Matt Wojichowski, which clanged off the outer fence of the adjacent Sodexo Field.

Franklin Pierce answered immediately with five runs in the home half of the fifth to jump to an 8-7 lead. The inning started at the top of the order for Graves, who worked a walk, moved to second on a single through the left side by Razzino and moved to third as an infield single by Jabs loaded the bases. Junior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) put an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Graves and O'Herron made it four straight hits with an RBI single to center to bring home Razzino. Three batters later, Routhier provided the inning's keynote address by clubbing a three-run double the other way into the gap in right-center.

Another run in the bottom of the sixth pushed the Ravens' lead to 9-7. With one out, Razzino took a walk, stole second, stole third and scored on a wild pitch.

Saint Anselm closed the gap to 9-8 with an unearned run in the top of the seventh. With one out, Finnegan reached on an infield single and moved to second on the play as Jabs threw the ball away. Finnegan moved to third on a single through the left side and scored when Grumoli bounced into an RBI fielder's choice.

Franklin Pierce got the run back in the home half of the seventh to make it a 10-8 game. With one out, Hood punched a double down the right-field line, moved to third two batters later on a single off the pitcher's leg by Brock and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Saint Anselm rallied for the eventual victory with three runs in the top of the eighth. With one out, Lluberes worked a walk and went first-to-third on a single through the right side by Morrisino. The Ravens went to junior right-hander Doug Willey (Shelburne, N.H.) in hopes of a five-out save with the tying run on first base. Willey struck out the first man he faced and issued an intentional walk to senior right fielder Dan Lagasse to work to Finnegan instead. The strategy backfired immediately, when Willey issued a four-pitch walk to force home a run and move the go-ahead run into scoring position. Morin was next and capped the rally with a two-run single into left-center.

Franklin Pierce got runners to second and third with one out in the eighth inning, but Saint Anselm junior right-hander David Kent got a strikeout and an infield popup to get out of the jam.

Leach started on the mound for Franklin Pierce on Thursday. Over 4.1 innings, he allowed six runs (two earned) on six hits, walked three and struck out six, but did not factor in the decision. Willey took the loss (0-1) in relief for the Ravens. Over 1.2 innings, he allowed one run on one hit, walked two (one intentionally) and struck out two.

Senior left-hander Zach Brian took the hill for Saint Anselm, threw five innings, allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits, walked one, struck out six and also did not factor in the decision. Sophomore right-hander Clayton Welch picked up the win (2-3) out of the bullpen after working the seventh inning. He allowed one run on two hits, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out one. Kent earned his second save of the campaign by throwing a scoreless final two innings while allowing two hits and striking out two.

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, March 28, when they remain home to host Stonehill in a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division contest. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at Pappas Field, and Stonehill will play as the home team.

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).