RINDGE, N.H. Freshman Chris Starcun (Easthampton, Mass.) blasted a pair of home runs, but it was not enough as American International dropped a Northeast-10 Conference baseball game to Franklin Pierce University, 17-7, this afternoon from Pappas Field.
AIC (3-9) wasted little time getting on the board as graduate student Dave Clark (W. Springfield, Mass.) lifted a 1-1 offering high over the right field wall for a solo-homerun and then with two-out freshman Chris Starcun (Easthampton, Mass.) blasted the first pitch he saw well over the 365 foot sign in right-center for the 2-0 lead.
Franklin Pierce (23-2) responded in the bottom half of the second scoring four times highlighted by an RBI triple by sophomore Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) and a solo homer from junior Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) for the 4-2 advantage.
The Ravens added to their lead in the third with a pair of runs off a double steal with runners on the corners and a run-producing single by junior Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) for the 6-2 score.
FPU added four more in the bottom of the fourth on a fielder's choice, a passed ball, an RBI double by senior Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) and a runner taking home on a throw to first to make the score 10-2.
The Jackets responded in the top half of the fifth plating five as Clark opened things with a double and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by senior Lucas Vallas (East Northport, N.Y.).
Starcun then followed with his second homer of the day, a two-run shot down the right field line, and junior Brett Bohl (Ludlow, Mass.) knocked in a pair with a two-out single to right field for the 10-7 score.
Franklin Pierce answered right back scoring six times in the bottom half of the frame grabbing the 16-7 lead highlighted by a two-run base-knock up the middle from Brock.
Sophomore Mike Gentile (Windsor Locks, Conn.) got the start on the bump and opened with a quick 1-2-3 frame, but ran into some trouble in the second and was dealt the loss falling to 0-2 after giving up three runs on three hits with one strikeout in 1.1 innings of work. Senior Travis Landry (Loudon, N.H.) earned the decision for FPU to improve to 2-0 after tossing 1.1 innings without surrendering a run and only allowing one hit as the Ravens used seven pitchers for the game.
Clark finished the day 3-for-4 at the dish while extending his hit streak to seven games while Brock, Walsh, Hood and sophomore Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) each recorded multiple hits for the Ravens who outhit the visitors 12-9 for the game.
AIC returns to action tomorrow with a single Northeast-10 Southwest divisional match-up at Southern Connecticut State at 3:30 p.m.
