Brock swipes two bags en route to game's only run

RINDGE, N.H. (May 15, 2015) – The road to an NCAA Regional title is long after losing on the first day, but junior right-hander Miles Sheehan (Madison, Conn.) made sure the No. 1/3 nationally ranked, top seed and host Franklin Pierce University baseball team got things off on the right foot on Friday, as he went the distance in a three-hit shutout to defeat fifth-seeded Dowling, 1-0, in an elimination game on the second day of the NCAA Championship East Regional at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Sheehan did not allow a runner to reach third base in the game and retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 47-3 and its season will live to see another day. With the loss, Dowling's season comes to a close at 27-17.

Franklin Pierce will play next at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, though its opponent will be determined by the outcome of Friday's remaining games. If third-seeded Southern New Hampshire can extend its season against sixth-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas at 3 p.m. Friday, the Ravens and Penmen would meet in an elimination game on Saturday. Meanwhile, if SNHU is eliminated on Friday, Franklin Pierce will play its elimination game Saturday against the loser of Friday's 7 p.m. game between second-seeded Stonehill and fourth-seeded Wilmington.

Sheehan stole the show on Friday afternoon, as he needed just 103 pitches (69 strikes) to dispatch Dowling. He faced just 31 batters over his nine innings, did not allow a runner past second base, surrendered three hits, walked one, hit two and struck out nine, his second-highest total of the season. It was his first shutout of the season, as well as his second complete game and his seventh win of the campaign (7-0).

Sheehan's earned run average dropped to 0.29 with the nine shutout innings. Though it may continue to rise or fall if he pitches again in 2015, the mark currently stands as the fourth-lowest in NCAA Division II history, as well as the lowest since 1973.

On the other side of the ledger, Dowling senior right-handers David Montiverdi and Brendan Butler were not quite as electric, but nearly stymied the Ravens just the same. Montiverdi threw 59 pitches (36 strikes) over the first 4.1 innings, allowed one run on six hits, walked two and struck out one while ultimately taking the loss (4-1). Butler followed up with 50 pitches (38 strikes) over 4.2 shutout innings, allowed three hits, did not issue a walk and struck out four.

The game's lone run was manufactured on the basepaths by the Ravens in the top of the third. Junior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) took a five-pitch walk with one out. Brock then stole both second and third with junior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) at the plate. The latter lifted a 2-2 pitch deep to center field, which allowed Brock to tag and score easily on the sacrifice fly as the left fielder made the catch.

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).