Senior Billy Karalis' two-run home run in the first inning proved to be the difference in Stonehill's 5-1 win over Franklin Pierce today. |
Junior righthander registers complete game, four-hit effort to improve to 5-0 this season
RINDGE, N.H. (March 28, 2014) – The Stonehill College baseball team used another strong pitching performance from junior righthander Jim Duff (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and a five-run outburst in the first inning to defeat No. 26 Franklin Pierce University, 5-1, this afternoon in Northeast-10 Northeast Divisional action at Pappas Field. Stonehill served as the home team, as the contest was originally scheduled to be played at Lou Gorman Field before being moved due to unplayable conditions.
Duff improved to 5-0 this season with yet another dominant outing. The junior went the distance for the first time in 2014 and the fifth time in his career, allowing just four hits while striking out eight and walking two. In five starts this season, Duff has allowed a total of two earned runs in 37 innings on the mound.
Stonehill did virtually all of its damage in a five-hit, five-run first inning. Senior outfielder Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) belted his second home run of the season and went 1-for-3 on the day with two RBI. Sophomore Brian Campbell (Franklin, Mass./Mount Saint Charles) went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run, while freshman designated hitter Eddie Bowler (Hingham, Mass./Hingham) and junior catcher Eric Schneider (Camarillo, Calif./St. Bonaventure) each delivered RBI doubles. Senior Anthony Pagano (Cranston, R.I./Cranston West) also added an RBI single for the Skyhawks.
Freshman outfielder Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) accounted for two of Franklin Pierce's four hits and its only run, as he went 2-for-4 with a solo home run. Junior John Razzino (Cranston, R.I./CC of Rhode Island) and sophomore Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y./Albany Academy) added one hit each for the Ravens.
Junior Jim Duff improved to 5-0 this season with his complete game, four-hit, one run effort today. He recorded eight strikeouts and walked two in Stonehill's victory. |
Junior Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass./Catholic Memorial) took the loss for Franklin Pierce after going just two thirds of an inning and allowing five runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Classmate Conor Gleason (North Stonington, Conn./CC of Rhode Island) relieved Fahey in the first inning and kept Stonehill off the board over the next 6.1 frames, as he allowed just three hits and racked up 13 strikeouts while walking four.
Franklin Pierce, currently ranked 26th nationally in the Collegiate Baseball News Division II Poll, threatened in the first inning but was unable to score. Senior Calvin Graves (Boston, Mass./West Roxbury) led off with a walk before stealing second, and Razzino followed with a single to center field to put runners on the corners with nobody out. After Razzino stole second, Graves was caught in a rundown trying to steal home before being tagged for the first out of the frame. Duff got out of the inning with a fly out and a strikeout on the next two plays.
Stonehill capitalized by putting five runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning. Campbell led off with a walk, and two batters later Karalis hit his second home run of the season over the center field fence to stake the Skyhawks to a 2-0 lead. Junior Christian Baglini (Milford, Conn./Notre Dame) followed with an infield single, stole second, and then scored on an RBI single by Pagano. Bowler came up next and delivered an RBI double, scoring Pagano, and Schneider wrapped up Stonehill's scoring in the inning with an RBI double to right center field.
Franklin Pierce got a run back in the fourth inning when Jabs led off with a home run down the right field line, but Duff held the Ravens in check for the remainder of the contest.
Stonehill (13-7, 3-0 NE-10) and Franklin Pierce (16-10, 3-3 NE-10) will be right back in action tomorrow with a doubleheader at Pappas Field. The first game will start at 10 a.m., with the second to follow at 1 p.m. Stonehill will serve as the home team again, as the doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played at Lou Gorman Field.
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