CONCORD, N.H. (September 27, 2022) -- The Franklin Pierce University men's golf team had left itself work to do in the second round of the Penmen Invitational, but struggled to get much of anything going on Tuesday at the par-72, 6500-yard Beaver Meadow Golf Course. A second-round 316 (+28) saw the Ravens cede two positions and finish 11^th, in a 15-team field. Senior Michael Sosik (Fiskdale, Mass.) rebounded from a rough Monday with a Tuesday 73 (+1), to jump 22 spots up the leaderboard and finish in a four-way tie for 30^th as the team's low golfer for the tournament.

Sosik and junior Thomas Hickey (Moultonborough, N.H.), who had led the Ravens in the first round, passed each other moving in opposite directions within the 84-golfer field on Tuesday. Sosik rebounded to post a line of 80-73--153 (+9). Meanwhile, Hickey failed to capitalize on a strong first round, shot an 82 (+10) on Tuesday, and tumbled 21 spots down the leaderboard into a tie for 34^th, at 73-82--155 (+11).

In fact, Sosik was the only Franklin Pierce player to improve on Tuesday. Freshman Seth Saffell (Castro Valley, Calif.) dropped 14 spots into a tie for 41^st at 76-80--156 (+12), junior Jake Berkio (Ashburnham, Mass.) slipped nine spots to tied-54^th at 79-81--160 (+16), and sophomore Peter Wurszt (Wilbraham, Mass.) fell 11 spots to solo-73^rd at 81-85--166 (+22).

It all meant a 28-over 316 on Tuesday for the Ravens, who finished at 308-316--624 (+48). Franklin Pierce was leapfrogged by two teams in the second round, as Merrimack finished ninth at 311-309--620 (+44), and American International took 10^th at 319-303--622 (+46).

Up front, host Southern New Hampshire put together the round of the tournament on Tuesday, at two-under 286, erased an eight-shot deficit, jumped over two teams and posted a four-shot victory at 297-286--583 (+7). Assumption remained second at 290-297--587 (+11), while first-round leader Le Moyne slipped two spots to third at 289-307--596 (+20).

Individually, Merrimack freshman Patrick McCarthy used a Tuesday 69 (-3) to jump up three spots and claim medalist honors, at 71-69--140 (-4). It was not the only 69 on the board in the second round, as SNHU senior Matt Conti fired one as well, to move up eight spots and finish solo-second, one shot back, at 72-69--141 (-3). Assumption junior Sean Magarian made it three finishers at par or better, with a line of 70-74--144 (E). The first-round leader, Le Moyne senior Nicholas Bove, shot a second-round 81 (+9) and plummeted 20 spots into a tie for 21^st.

It was the final tune-up for the Ravens ahead of championship competition, as the Northeast-10 Conference Championship is on the horizon for next weekend, Oct. 2-3. Play is set for 36 holes on Sunday and 18 more on Monday at En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, N.Y.