SNHU eliminates Franklin Pierce

By rbrown
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Updated: May 19, 2023

When and Where: May 18, 2023 – Hooksett, N.H. (Penmen Field)
Score: #10/22 (#1 seed) Southern New Hampshire University 6, (#4 seed) Franklin Pierce University 1
Records: SNHU 38-11, FPU 34-19

Senior Jeffrey Praml (Bridgewater, N.J.) allowed one run in a complete-game effort to lead the No. 10/22 and top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University baseball team to a 6-1 victory against fourth-seeded Franklin Pierce University in its opening game of the NCAA Baseball Championship East Regional I on Thursday at Penmen Field.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

Praml (10-3) – 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Junior Nick Schwartz (Massapequa, N.Y.) – 2-2, RBI, R, 2B, BB
Freshman Dyrenson Wouters (Oranjestad, Aruba) – 2-4 RBI, R, HR
Sophomore Harry Vargas Segura (Bronx, N.Y.) – 2-4, RBI, 2B
Freshman Jake Risedorf (Barkhamsted, Conn.) – 2-4, RBI R
Sophomore Anderson Moreno (Bronx, N.Y.) – 2-4, R
Juniors Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.) – 1-4, RBI, R

KEY MOMENTS

Franklin Pierce went ahead, 1-0, in the bottom of the second when Jose Savinon led off with a solo home run to center.
Southern New Hampshire pulled even in the home half when Risedorf led off with a single up the middle, stole second and scored on a two-out double to center from Vargas Segura.
SNHU moved in front with a four-run third, as RBI singles from Schwartz, Caraher and Risedorf, followed by an RBI fielder’s choice from redshirt-junior Cristian Mercedes (Providence, R.I.), made it 5-1.
Wouters put the finishing touches on the win in the sixth, swatting a solo shot down the left field line.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Junior Mike La Rocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) was 1-for-5 and scored a run.
Hunter Reynolds (8-4) started for Franklin Pierce and gave up five runs on eight hits over two innings, while striking out three and walking a batter.
Drew DeLucia pitched well in relief for the Ravens, relinquishing just one run on two hits over five innings, while punching out four and not issuing a walk.
Brian Hadden and Joseph Pesce were both 2-for-4 for FPU, while Savinon was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

NOTES

Southern New Hampshire, ranked 10th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Top 25 and 22nd in the Collegiate Baseball Division II Poll, has won 27 of its last 30.
SNHU, the two-time defending East Region Champion, improves to 37-24 (.607) all-time in the NCAA postseason, including 5-3 against Franklin Pierce.
Fifth-seeded Pace University, which defeated Franklin Pierce in Game 1, 10-5, is also 1-0 in the East Regional I pod. The Setters and Penmen will meet in a best-of-three, with the first two games Friday, to decide who will advance to the NCAA East Super-Regional.
The Penmen better their record to 14-2 (.875) at home this season and are now 130-29 (.818) at Penmen Field since the beginning of the 2014 season.
Southern New Hampshire now leads the all-time series with Franklin Pierce, 55-44-1, and has won 23 of the last 27 meetings with the Ravens, including 14 of 18 at home.
Wouters’ home run was his second of the season.
Schwartz continues to lead the NE10 in hitting (.419) and RBI (64), while sitting in a third-place tie in home runs (12).
Caraher has a hit in 15 of his last 16, including 10 straight, while Schwartz has hit safely in 11 of 13.
Wouters has a hit in seven of eight, including five-in-a-row.
The Penmen have now scored 470 runs in 49 games (9.6). The 470 runs rank second in the program’s single-season record book, with the top mark of 494 runs being held by the 2016 squad.

UP NEXT

The Penmen are back at it Friday (May 19) at 11 a.m. when they take on Pace in a pair of games, looking to advance to the NCAA East Super-Regional.

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