LaVorgna, Jabs have three hits each

RINDGE, N.H. (March 13, 2015) – It was another day and another win for the No. 9/12 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team on Friday afternoon, as sophomore right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.) tossed six shutout innings and sophomore third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) and sophomore designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) had three hits each in a 10-0 shutout of Post in non-conference play at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Six Franklin Pierce pitchers combined to throw a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 11-0 (0-0 Northeast-10) and adds to what already stood as the best start in program history, while Post falls to 4-9 (0-0 Central Atlantic). The Ravens are now one shy of the program-record winning streak of 12, which has been accomplished on five occasions, most recently in 2013.

Lundin, who threw a seven-inning no-hitter on Sunday in his last outing, posted four more no-hit innings on Friday, before surrendering a fifth-inning double. In all, he faced just 20 batters and needed just 63 pitches (48 strikes) to get through six one-hit, shutout innings. He did not issue a walk and struck out six on the way to the win (3-0). Lundin has now logged 23 scoreless innings to start the season.

Franklin Pierce got more than enough runs for Lundin in the bottom of the third, when it sent nine men to the plate and scored five times. Junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) had the big blow of the inning with a two-run double to left field, which came just four pitches after a two-run single back up the middle by senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.). LaVorgna also had an RBI double in the inning.

The Ravens tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to balloon the lead to 8-0. Jabs started things with a one-out single back up the middle and immediately stole second. He advanced to third on the play as the catcher's throw down to second was errant. After a six-pitch walk to Walsh, Franklin Pierce got up to some trickery with runners at the corners. Walsh bluffed a steal of second base and did so well enough to draw a throw through to second by Post junior catcher Brian McKenna. Jabs broke for home on the throw and scored easily, as the throw got away from the middle infielders, while Walsh scampered back to first. Walsh then went first-to-third on a single to right by O'Herron, and LaVorgna followed with a two-run double to left field.

Franklin Pierce tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to create the 10-0 final. In the fifth, junior left fielder Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, stole second, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by junior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.). In the sixth, LaVorgna yanked a two-out double down the left-field line, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double to center by sophomore second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.).

Senior right-hander Don Crook started, threw 41 pitches (26 strikes) over two shutout innings and did not factor in the decision on the mound for Post. He walked one and struck out one. Sophomore right-hander Evan Devico needed 34 pitches (22 strikes) to get through a disastrous third inning and took the loss (1-3) for Post. He was touched up for five runs on four hits, walked one and hit a batter.

The Ravens return to the field on Sunday, March 15, when they start a seven-game excursion to Cary, N.C. On Sunday, Franklin Pierce will play Dowling at 3:40 p.m. and Dominican (N.Y.) at 7:30 p.m. at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The Ravens next play at home on Saturday, March 28 against Saint Michael's in a doubleheader starting at noon.

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).