Senior Chris Hoyt reached the 200 hit milestone during today's game. |
Senior Chris Hoyt registered his 200th career hit in the sixth inning of today's setback
EASTON, Mass. (March 31, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University baseball team, ranked No. 5 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Poll, dealt Stonehill College a 20-7 defeat today in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division action at Lou Gorman Field.
Senior Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers) registered his 200th career hit in his lone base knock of the game. Hoyt is a career .304 hitter and recorded 38 hits his freshman year, 58 during his sophomore campaign, 76 throughout his junior year and 28 so far this spring.
Senior Brian Campbell (Franklin, Massachusetts/Mount Saint Charles) finished 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, two runs and a stolen base. Classmate Brian Hocking (Duxbury, Massachusetts/BC High) also posted a two hit effort, highlighted by a two-run homerun he hit in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior Steve Lee (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) recorded a double, an RBI and a run, while senior Eric Schneider (Camarillo, California/St. Bonaventure) went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pennsylvania/Perkiomen Valley) paced a Franklin Pierce offense that piled up 20 runs on 17 hits with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, including a double, a stolen base four runs and an RBI. Senior first baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Massachusetts/Cathedral) went 2-for-4 with a homer and a team high five RBI, while classmate Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Massachusetts/Marshfield) added three singles, three RBI, and two runs.
Sophomore righthander Pat Shore (Norwood, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) started the game for Stonehill but was chased in the third inning after allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and three strikeouts. Freshman Justin Lynch (Shelton, Connecticut/Shelton) came on and pitched two innings of relief and was the most effective relief pitcher for the Skyhawks, pitching two innings while only allowing one hit and one run.
Senior lefty Gage Griffin (Moosup, Connecticut/Plainfield) took the ball for Franklin Pierce but only lasted 1.2 innings as the Skyhawks pinned him for five earned runs. Freshman Tanner Putnam (New Boston, New Hampshire/Goffstown) earned the win for the Ravens, throwing 3.1 shutout innings of relief, while allowing two hits with four strikeouts.
Senior Brian Hocking connected on a two-run homerun in the ninth inning of today's game. |
Franklin Pierce jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning, as Brock hit a one out single to third base and stole second to get the inning started. After he advanced to third on a wild pitch, Jabs singled through the left side to score Brock. Junior Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Connecticut/Tulane Univ.) followed up with a base knock to left field and graduate student Matt Burns (Parkland, Florida/Southern Connecticut State Univ.) singled to second base, scoring Jabs. Burns then subsequently stole second and forced a wild throw that led to LaVorgna coming around to score the third run of the first inning.
Stonehill got a run back in the bottom half of the first when Campbell hit a double and stole third base. Schneider then stepped to the plate and was hit-by-a-pitch which brought up Hocking. Hocking hit a single to second base, scoring Campbell from third and putting the Skyhawks on the board.
After Franklin Pierce plated two more runs in the second, Stonehill answered with four in the bottom half of the second inning to tie the game at five. Sophomore Isiah Nunez (Brooklyn, New York/Berkshire School) got the two out rally started with a single through the left side. Hoyt then proceeded to walk and Lee connected on a ground-rule double to score Nunez from second base. Campbell followed up with a double of his own to center field to score both Hoyt and Lee to bring the Skyhawks within one. Schneider kept the rally alive with a single down the right field line, scoring Campbell from second and tying the game up at five runs apiece.
From there it was all Franklin Pierce, as the Ravens exploded for two runs in the third, three runs in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth inning to push their lead to 13-5. Franklin Pierce piled on seven more runs over the final two innings highlighted by an O'Herron grand slam to cap the scoring for the Ravens.
Stonehill (11-10, 0-4 NE-10) will look to bounce back as they travel to Adelphi University for a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon. Franklin Pierce (22-2, 4-0 NE-10) is also back in action on Saturday, as the Ravens travel to American International College for a doubleheader starting at noon.
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