Walsh goes 2-for-3

RINDGE, N.H. (March 25, 2015) – Senior designated hitter Kyle McGinnity lashed a leadoff triple down the right-field line to start the top of the 10th inning on Wednesday afternoon and scored to break a 2-2 on an errant relay throw on the play by sophomore second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.), as the No. 5/6 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team suffered a 3-2, extra-inning loss to No. 22 Southern New Hampshire. The game was the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division opener for both squads at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 19-2 (2-1 Northeast-10, 0-1 Northeast Division), while Southern New Hampshire improves to 13-5 (1-0, 1-0 Northeast Division).

Trailing 2-1 heading into the latter stages of the game, SNHU scratched together the tying run with the aid of some errant pitching in the top of the seventh inning. Sophomore center fielder Carson Helms was hit by a pitch with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when graduate student left fielder Mike Montville followed with an RBI single to right.

After each side stranded runners in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings, the Penmen picked up an unearned run in the top of the 10th which would stand as the game-winning run. McGinnity turned on the second pitch he saw from senior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.) and roped a one-hop shot past junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.), inside the bag at first and down to the right-field corner. Senior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) dug the ball out of the corner as McGinnity rounded second and hustled a throw to Hood, who was serving as the cutoff man. With McGinnity already halfway between second and third, Hood had little chance to throw out the speedster, but put all his might into a relay throw from shallow right field anyway. The throw sailed well over sophomore third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.), as well as a leaping Fahey, who had moved to backup third. The errant throw would up out of play, which awarded McGinnity home plate.

Earlier in the day, Franklin Pierce sophomore right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.) and SNHU senior right-hander Cole Warren matched either other through solid, if less than spectacular, starts. Lundin tossed 83 pitches (64 strikes) over seven innings, plus one batter in the eighth. He allowed two runs on two hits, issued his first walk of the season (in 39 innings of work), hit one batter and struck out seven. Warren answered with 84 pitches (53 strikes) over six innings on the hill. He also allowed two runs on two hits, walked two, hit one and struck out six. Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision.

Fahey suffered the loss (3-2) out of the bullpen for the Ravens, after being charged for the unearned run over two innings of work. He allowed two hits, hit two batters and struck out three.

Sophomore right-hander Ben Criscuolo was the beneficiary of the unearned run for SNHU, as he picked up the win (2-0) after 1.2 shutout innings of relief. He allowed one hit, walked one and did not record a strikeout. Graduate student right-hander David Gibson retired the side in order on 13 pitches (nine strikes) in the bottom half of the 10th to pick up his first save of the season.

Earlier, Franklin Pierce had opened the scoring with a run in the home half of the first inning. Razzino started things with a two-out single through the left side of the infield, stole second and scored when senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) followed with an RBI single back up the middle.

The Ravens doubled the lead to 2-0 with a run in the bottom of the third. Junior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) worked a one-out walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, took third on a groundout on the right side by Jabs and scored on another wild pitch.

SNHU immediately set about its comeback effort by answering with a run in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs and nobody on, Helms cracked a long, solo home run into the bleachers in left field, his second of the season. The Penmen completed the comeback in the aforementioned top of the seventh inning, setting up McGinnity's 10th-inning winner.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, March 28, when they remain home to host Saint Michael's in a Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division contest to open a three-game weekend series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. 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).