PACE SPLITS WITH FRANKLIN PIERCE

PLEASANTVILLE, NY- The Pace University baseball team split a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader with vistiting Franklin Pierce College, with the Ravens winning the first game, 4-0, before Pace held off a late FPC surge to win the second game, 4-2.  Pace goes to 22-14 overall and 8-8 in the Northeast-10 Conference.  The win in the second game breaks a five game slide for the Setters. Franklin Pierce stands at 29-9 overall and 14-5 in conference play.

In the first game, Elliot Shea (Jaffrey, NH) singled to left center, and then advanced to second base on a fielding error by Pace center fielder, Brian Hollrah (Glenwood, MD/Glenely) (Glenwood, MD/Glenely).  Mike Chambers (Londonderry, NH) then followed with a double to right center field, scoring Shea with the first run of the game. Garrett Olson (Norway, MD) then followed with a double down the leftfield line, scoring Chambers from 2^nd base.

Franklin Pierce would take a 3-0 lead in the 6^th when Matt Anderson (Medford, ME) drove in Vinny Pennell (Spencer, MA).  Pierce would score again in the 7^th when a throwing error by Pace second baseman JC Pullum (White Plains, NY/Valhalla) (White Plains, NY/Valhalla) allowed Chambers to score. 

For Franklin Pierce, Shane Presutti (Southbridge, MA) improved to 7-0 on the season after holding Pace scoreless with one hit while walking four and striking out nine. Hollrah had the Setters' only hit of the game in the 6^th inning.  For Pace, Bryan Hallberg (River Edge, NJ/Riverdell) took the loss to drop to 3-3 on the season. Hallberg allowed four runs - three earned - on eight hits while striking out six over 7 2/3.

In the second game, Pace jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.  In the 2^nd inning, Matt Arburr (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) reached on an error by Raven's shortstop Olson, advancing to second on the play.  After Matt Castellano (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph) (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph) walked, Ray Caronia (Paramus, NY/Paramus) (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) rifled a ball to second base.  Franklin Pierce second baseman Chambers overthrew second base while trying to turn to the double play, allowing Arburr to score from second and moving Castellano to second. Joe Barracato (Westbury, NY/Clarke) (Westbury, NY/Clarke) then followed with a ground ball back to the mound.  FPC starter Nate Berberian (Northborough, MA) through the ball away allowing Castellano to score from second base and giving Pace a 2-0 lead.

In the 3^rd, Franklin Pierce jumped on the board when Randy Fenton (Peabody, MA) reached on a single to the shortstop.  Shea then dropped down a bunt with the intention of moving Fenton to second, which he did, but also reached base on a throwing error by Pace starter David Qualben (Brooklyn, NY/Xavier) (Brooklyn, NY/Xavier).  After a double steal by Fenton and Shea, Chambers lined out to a diving Andre Liscinsky (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) who was able to make the throw to second to force out Shea.  Olson then followed with a two-out single to center field, scoring Fenton and cutting the Pace lead to 2-1. 

In the 5^th, Pace catcher Chris Brown (Kingston, RI/South Kingstown) walked to start off the inning.  After Pullum flew out to center field, Matt Bisbano (Mt. Kisco, NY/Foxlane) doubled to the gap in right center, moving Brown to third. Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) then followed with a single up the middle, scoring both runners and giving Pace a 4-1 lead.

In the 9^th, Scott Savastano (Plymouth, MA) led off the inning with a double to left field.  After Mike Feetham (Quincy, MA) grounded out, moving Savastano to third, pinch hitter Jake Christman (Newton, MA) singled up the middle, scoring Savastano, and closing the Setters' lead to 4-2.  Closer Earl Oakes (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) was summoned from the bullpen to shut the door on the Ravens, and slam it closed he did.  Oakes struck out both batters he faced to pick up his 10^th save of the season, a new Pace single season record breaking his own mark of nine set last season.  Oakes is now 21-for-23 in career save opportunities, including 10-for-12 in 2006.  Qualben picked up the win to improve to 5-3 on the season.  Qualben held FPC to two runs - one earned - on eight hits while striking out six over 8 1/3.  His six strikeouts give him 168 all-time, good for 2^nd place at Pace in career strikeouts.  For Franklin Pierce, Berberian took the loss to drop to 1-2 on the season after allowing four runs - two earned - on four hits while striking out two over six innings.

Pace returns to action on Thursday, April 20^th when they host Merrimack College on Finnerty Field on the Pleasantville campus of Pace University in a Northeast-10 Conference match-up set for 3:30 p.m.