FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2013
WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS | TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
MANCHESTER, N.H. - The six-team, double-elimination 2013 NCAA Division II Baseball Regional got underway Thursday on the campus of Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H. Four of the six teams at the regional hail from the Northeast-10 Conference, with three of them earning victories on Thursday.
Sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce University defeated top-seeded Wilmington (Del.), 7-0, in the first of three contests on Thursday, before fifth-seeded Pace University knocked off second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas, 3-0, in the second contest.
In the final game, host and fourth-seeded So. New Hampshire cruised past third-seeded University of New Haven, 9-0, in a battle of Northeast-10 counterparts.
Franklin Pierce will now play New Haven on Friday at 3:00 p.m, with New Haven needing a win to stay alive. Pace draws So. New Hampshire at 7:00 p.m. at Penmen Field, while the two top seeds in Wilmington (Del.) and St. Thomas Aquinas square off at 11:00 a.m. in an elimination game.
#6 Franklin Pierce 7, #1 Wilmington (Del.) 0 - BOX | RAVENS BLOG
Junior righthander and Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Trevor Graham spun a three-hit shutout and struck out 10 on Thursday, as Franklin Pierce posted a 7-0 win over top seed and No. 8/27 Wilmington (Del.). Senior shortstop Dan Kemp went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a double, a triple and two sacrifice bunts in the win for Franklin Pierce.
With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 33-16, while Wilmington falls to 40-13. The Ravens will play next at 3:00 p.m. on Friday against the loser of Thursday's 7:00 p.m. game between New Haven and So. New Hampshire. Wilmington will face elimination at 11:00 a.m. Friday against the loser of Thursday's game between St. Thomas Aquinas and Pace.
Graham was the story of the afternoon, as he took a no-hit bid into the seventh, faced only 31 batters and needed just 98 pitches - 64 of those for strikes - to dispatch the Wildcats.
#5 Pace 3, #2 St. Thomas Aquinas 0 | BOX
Lefthander Jonathan Chudy tossed a complete game shutout as the Setters took the win over Saint Thomas Aquinas College, 3-0, on Thursday. The Setters advance in the winners' bracket and improved their record to 33-15 overall, while the Spartans fall to 39-13 and will face Wilmington in an elimination game on Friday morning (11:00 a.m.).
Chris Gili and Charlie Galasso had two hits apiece for Pace in the victory, while Joe Solomeno and Ian Wukitsch both delivered RBI singles in the first inning to stake the Setters to the early lead.
#4 So. New Hampshire 9, #3 New Haven 0 | BOX
The host Penmen chased New Haven starter Henry Hirsch out of the ballgame in the first inning after getting out to a 3-0 lead, and later added five more in the fifth to cruise to the 9-0 shutout win in Thursday's third and final contest.
Hirsch only got one out in the opening frame, allowing three hits and a costly five walks.
Meanwhile, So. New Hampshire righthander Junior Mendez struck out nine over seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits (all singles) to earn the victory on the mound. Relievers David Gibson and Joe McCarthy pitched the eighth and ninth, respectively, with each striking out the side without allowing a hit.
Brendan O'Brien, Matt Boulter and Andy Lalli had two hits apiece for the Penmen, who improved to 32-17, while the Chargers fell to 33-15 and will need to win tomorrow to continue on in regional play.
The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that are committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,000 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 16
Game 1: (6) Franklin Pierce 7, (1) Wilmington (Del.) 0 | BOX
Game 2: (5) Pace 3, (2) St. Thomas Aquinas 0 | BOX
Game 3: (4) So. New Hampshire 9, (3) New Haven 0 | BOX
Friday, May 17
Game 4: (1) Wilmington (Del.) vs. (2) St. Thomas Aquinas - 11:00 a.m. (elimination game)
Game 5: (6) Franklin Pierce vs. (3) New Haven* - 3:00 p.m.
Game 6: (5) Pace vs. (4) So. New Hampshire - 7:00 p.m.
* - faces elimination with a loss Friday
Note: Saturday/Sunday schedule dependent on whether four or five teams remain after Friday.
- #NE10 -
