For Immediate Release

May 12, 2012

Ravens win their third straight in
championship play while Le Moyne again avoids elimination

Manchester, N.H. – Ravens centerfielder James Roche had four hits and a pair of homers to spearhead a 17-hit attack as second-seeded Franklin Pierce University defeated top-seeded Saint Anselm College, 12-8, in Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championship action on Saturday afternoon at Sullivan Park.

In Saturday's second contest, second-seeded Le Moyne College earned a 4-1 victory over Saint Anselm, eliminating the Northeast Division's top seed from championship action. The Dolphins had entered Saturday with one loss in hand following Friday's 14-8 setback against the Hawks, but they knocked off the University of New Haven last night before again staying alive with Saturday's victory.

As a result, Franklin Pierce and Le Moyne will meet on Sunday to decide the 2012 Northeast-10 Baseball Championship. Franklin Pierce can claim the title with a victory at 11:00 a.m. because it has not yet lost in championship play, while Le Moyne will need to win a pair to earn the NCAA automatic qualifier.

A second game (if necessary) will take place 35 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.

For live updates in regard to Sunday's championship contest(s), be sure to follow the Northeast-10 on Twitter (@TheNortheast10).

The 2012 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship field will also be announced on Sunday night at 10:00 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Franklin Pierce 12, Saint Anselm 8 – BOX
Roche finished 4-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI for Franklin Pierce in the victory, setting a new program single-season home run record (16) in the process.

Franklin Pierce led 4-0 after three innings, as the Ravens got to Saint Anselm starting pitcher Robert Kelly for four earned on five hits in just 2.2 innings. While the Hawks got two runs back in the fourth, Franklin Pierce scored eight times in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings combined to put the game out of reach, although the Hawks did manage to put up a four-spot in the seventh.

Ravens shortstop Dan Kemp finished 3-for-6 and rightfielder Nick LaCroix was 3-for-3 with a pair of sacrifice flies in a game that saw Franklin Pierce rack up 13 stolen bases without a caught stealing.

Hawks second baseman Richie Manzi had a 3-for-5 day for Saint Anselm, while four of his teammates also had multi-hit games. But it was the Hawks pitching that sputtered in Saturday's first contest, as none of the five Saint Anselm pitchers to appear in the ballgame went more than 2.2 innings of work.

Franklin Pierce reliever Vladimir Camacho got the win on the mound after allowing five runs – four earned – on nine hits over five innings. The starter, Kevin McGowan, allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in four innings.

Le Moyne 4, Saint Anselm 1 – BOX
Dolphins starting pitcher Casey Cannon (pictured) allowed just one run on four hits in 5.2 innings to help lead Le Moyne to victory – its second elimination-game win in less than 24 hours – in Saturday's second contest. Relievers Erik Lambe and Kevin Carroll combined to throw 3.1 hitless innings to nail down the victory.

Saint Anselm starting pitcher Timothy Cooney pitched well despite getting hit with the loss, as he allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings of work.

Le Moyne took a 1-0 lead when Paul Speichler singled home Ryan Mahoney in the second inning before the Dolphins pushed across the eventual game-winner in the third on Matt Marra's RBI single.

Saint Anselm got a run back in the fourth when Manzi scored on a wild pitch, but it was a frustrating game on the whole offensively for the Hawks, who managed just four hits.

Le Moyne's Marra and Vincent Redmond both went 2-for-4 in the win, while Brett Botsford went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and four stolen bases.

The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 5,500 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.

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