MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College baseball team jumped out to an early 3-1 lead, but eventually fell to #2 Franklin Pierce University, 8-4, on Thursday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference action at Sullivan Park in Manchester, N.H.
Box Score
The Hawks (8-30, 3-18 NE-10, 3-13 NE-10 NE) loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning and were able to push a run across to make it 8-4, but that would be as close as they would get, as Franklin Pierce's Adam Goss came in to get the one out save to end the game.
Matthew Flynn (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of RBI and a run scored to lead Saint Anselm. John Marculitis (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Nick Bragole (Newburyport, Mass.), Dan Bodi (Westford, Mass.) and Allan McQuarrie (Salem, N.H.) each went 1-for-4.
Adam Krol (Sunderland, Mass.) lasted seven innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts in the setback. Zane Byrne (Franklin, Mass.) gave up one hit in an inning of work, while Seve Llanio (Glen Arm, Md.) pitched the ninth and gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits.
The No. 2-ranked Ravens got a 2-for-4 day from Jay Jabs as he drove in three runs and scored another two to pace the offense. Maxx Sheehan and Max DiTondo each went 2-for-5 and combined for three runs, while Justin Brock was 2-for-3 with a run and Kurtis White was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
Tanner Bird improved to 7-0 this season as he pitched six innings and allowed only two hits and one unearned run with 10 strikeouts. He came on in relief of Dylan Dennis, who last only two innings while giving up three runs (one earned) on four hits. After Tony Sylvester could only get two outs in the ninth, Goss came into the game to pick up the one-out save.
After back-to-back hits to open the game for Franklin Pierce, Jabs picked up his first RBI of the day with a groundout that plated Sheehan to make it a 1-0 game. Krol worked out of anymore trouble by getting a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
The Hawks answered back in their half of the opening inning as Flynn led off the frame with a fly ball that dropped in for a double and he later scored on an RBI triple by Nick Bragole. Bragole would be stranded at third, however, and the game entered the second inning tied, 1-1.
Krol worked out of another jam in the second and the Hawks rewarded him with a pair of runs to take a 3-1 lead. The first run came across when Allan McQuarrie came in the back door on an error by the Franklin Pierce shortstop and Flynn gave the Hawks a two-run cushion with a sacrifice fly that plated John Marculitis.
Franklin Pierce responded in the top of the second after Justin Brock walked, Jabs launched a homer over the fence in right to tie the game at 3-3. The Ravens put two more runners on and Kurtis White drove them in with an RBI double down the line in right to make it a 5-3 game before later scoring on a failed throw to third base to put the visitors in front 6-3.
Both pitchers settled down after the early fireworks as Krol and Tanner Bird combined to allow only two hits through the seventh inning.
Franklin Pierce added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI groundout from Chris LaVorgna, while Jabs scored on a passed ball to give the Ravens an 8-3 lead.
The first two runners for the Hawks reached base to open the ninth as Dan Bodi reached on an error and Jon McQuarrie (Salem, N.H.) worked a walk. After a pair of groundouts put them in scoring position, Max Wadington (Burlington, Conn.) earned a free pass to load the bases and Matt Flynn got the third walk of the inning to earn his second RBI and make it an 8-4 game. Unfortunately for the Hawks, Goss came in and forced a strikeout to end the threat and help the Ravens to their ninth-straight victory.
The schedule does not get any easier for Saint Anselm as they take on cross-town rival, and the #1 team in the nation, Southern New Hampshire University in a 3:30 p.m. game scheduled for Friday afternoon.
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