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CALDWELL DEFEATS UMASS-LOWELL AT BASEBALL REGIONAL; WILMINGTON FALLS TO FRANKLIN PIERCE

May 17, 2007

RINDGE, NH - Caldwell College, the No. 4 seed in the 2007 NCAA Division II Northeast Region Baseball Tournament, upended No. 3 UMass-Lowell Thursday night, 9-4, in Rindge, NH. Wilmington College, the No. 6 seed, fell 4-1 to top seeded and host Franklin Pierce College. Caldwell will meet #2 Adelphi at 6:00 pm Friday in the winner's bracket, while Wilmington will face #5 Bryant at 11 am in an elimination game.

Caldwell (25-13) opened the scoring in the top of the first with two runs against the River Hawks. Junior Tommy Murphy came home from third on a wild pitch, then senior Billy Ryan plated freshman Adric Saxon with a single for a 2-0 lead. The River Hawks tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the second, including an RBI single from Brendan Fullerton.

In the top of the fourth, the Cougars loaded the bases before freshman Doug Hilgenberg came home on Murphy's sacrifice fly for a 4-3 lead. Caldwell loaded the bases again in the sixth for Saxon, whose single to right centerfield plated Hilgenberg put the Cougars up 5-3. And in the seventh, with the bases full of Cougars for a third time, a throwing error allowed freshmen Jon Irwin and Raymond Keelan to come home to make the score 7-3 Caldwell. After a walk loaded the bases yet again, junior Chris Chiarappa singled home two more runs for a 9-3 advantage. The River Hawks added a run-scoring double by Sean Patno in the bottom of the eighth, but the Cougars wrapped up their first NCAA Region victory since 2004.

Freshman Robert Casal performed well on the mound for Caldwell, striking out 10 while giving up four runs on seven hits in 8 1/3 innings to improve to 10-1 on the season. Fellow frosh Buddy Riggs closed out the game with a fly out and strikeout in the ninth.

Franklin Pierce sophomore right-hander Mike Adams and junior left fielder Kevin Renaud led the Ravens to the 4-1 win over Wilmington (29-19). Adams went 8.0 innings and allowed only six hits in improving to 6-0 this season. He allowed a run in the first inning on a single by Wilmington junior left fielder Spike Austin. Junior center fielder Chris Brooks scored the run after walking, stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw by the Franklin Pierce catcher.

Renaud provided the offense by recording three of Franklin Pierce's eight hits. He finished 3-for-4 with two run, three RBI, two doubles and a home run. He hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth and a run-scoring double in the sixth.

Wilmington senior lefty Kenny McGrady took the tough loss after hurling a complete game and allowing only eight hits, two earned runs and no walks while fanning seven.

NCAA Division II Northeast Region Baseball Tournament, Hosted by Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, N.H.

Thursday, May 17

Game 1: #1 Franklin Pierce 4, #6 Wilmington 1

Game 2: #2 Adelphi 5, #5 Bryant 4

Game 3: #4 Caldwell 9, #3 UMass-Lowell 4

Friday, May 18

Game 4: Wilmington vs. Bryant, 11 a.m.

Game 5: Franklin Pierce vs. UMass-Lowell, 2:30 p.m.

Game 6: Caldwell vs. Adelphi, 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 19

(if four teams remain after game 6)

Game 7: Winner game 5 vs. Winner game 6, 11 a.m.

Game 8: Winner game 4 vs. Loser game 6, 2:30 p.m.

Game 9: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 7, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 21

Game 10: Winner game 7 vs. Winner game 9, noon

Game 11: if necessary, 30 mins upon conclusion of game 10

Saturday, May 20

(if five teams remain after game 6)

Game 7: Loser game 5 vs. Loser game 6, 11 a.m.

Game 8: Winner game 4 vs. Winner game 5, 2:30 p.m.

Game 9: Winner game 6 vs. Winner game 7, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 21

(if two teams remain after game 9)

Game 10: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 9, noon

Game 11: if necessary, 30 mins upon conclusion of game 10

(if three teams remain after game 9)

Game 10: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 9, noon

Game 11: Winner game 9 vs. Winner game 10, 3 p.m.