Baseball

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2013

NECBL RELEASE

Courtesy of Franklin Pierce Athletics Communications

RINDGE, N.H. – The NCAA East Regional champion Franklin Pierce University baseball team has been named by the New England Collegiate Baseball League as the Most Valuable Program among Division II New England institutions in 2013, as announced Friday by the NECBL. The Ravens become the first recipient of the award, which has been established by the NECBL this season to honor the accomplishments and contributions to baseball at all levels of collegiate play in New England. 

Franklin Pierce will be honored at the NECBL’s annual Hall of Fame induction dinner, slated for 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 30 at the Hyatt Regency on Goat Island in Newport, R.I. The event will include a cocktail hour and silent auction in addition to the induction dinner. The gala is open to the public; tickets are $100 and fans can visit www.necbl.com for more information. 

The Ravens are being honored for their work in the 2013 campaign, as they went 37-19, claimed the East Region title and finished fifth in the nation after being ousted from the National Finals in three games. The team has won at least 35 games in each of the last eight seasons and topped 30 wins in 12 consecutive campaigns. Prior to its postseason accomplishments, Franklin Pierce claimed the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division title for the second straight season. The regional title was the sixth in program history (2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003).

At the end of the season, Franklin Pierce had four members of the squad selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The number tied for the second-highest single-season total in program history and was the second time in three years four Ravens were selected. Since 2001, Franklin Pierce has had 25 players drafted, a total which ranks third among all New England programs, regardless of division, behind only Boston College (40) and University of Connecticut (39). 

The 2013 campaign was a banner season all-around for New England baseball, as seen by the Division I and Division III representatives to be honored alongside Franklin Pierce on Nov. 30.