JP Ashline
JP Ashline

Ashline Shutout Helps Bentley Split with #19 Franklin Pierce

WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior right-hander JP Ashline (Clinton/Acton-Boxborough Reg. HS) fired a three-hit shutout, the first of his career, to lead Bentley University to a 6-0 game one victory in the first half of a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at DeFelice Field.

Franklin Pierce, ranked 19th nationally in Division II, came back to gain a split, using a five-run sixth-inning to take the nightcap 8-2, snapping the Falcons' six-game winning streak.

Ashline, who needed only 89 pitches for his masterpiece, struck out six and didn't issue a walk while improving to 4-1 on the season. He retired the first nine batters he pitched to, didn't allow a runner past first base and faced only batter over the minimum.

His teammates staked him to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Junior center fielder Sean Keady (Norwood/Norwood HS) and freshman first baseman Evan Mondor (Rehoboth/Dighton-Rehoboth Reg. HS) opened the bottom of the first with singles, with an errant pickoff throw in between, and senior second baseman Logan Gillis (Merrimack, N.H./Lawrence Academy) followed with an RBI single to center, driving in Keady. Later in the inning, junior shortstop Will Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley HS) duplicated Gillis' effort, making it 2-0.

In the third, junior right fielder Tom Nagy (Fairfield, Conn./Ludlowe HS) led off with a triple to center and scored on a ground out by senior catcher Kevin Korwek (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS).

Bentley doubled its lead in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs, a single to center by Mondor sandwiched in between infield singles by Keady and Gillis. Korwek made it 5-0 with a two-run single to left, and Gillis scored the game's final run on a balk.

Bentley finished with 13 hits in the game, including two apiece by Keady, Mondor, Gillis, Brennan and freshman designated hitter Bryan Rocha (Rehoboth/Dighton-Rehoboth Reg. HS).

The nightcap saw Franklin Pierce jump out to a 2-0 lead in the second. Sophomore third baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield) had an RBI single and sophomore left fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) stole home as part of a double steal.

FPU broke the game open with five runs in the sixth with a pair of errors resulting in two of the runs being unearned. A two-run bases-loaded double to right by Razzino made it 4-0, O'Herron followed with a two-run single to left center, and he would later score on a throwing error.

Down 8-0, Bentley got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Korwek led off with a single to center, Brennan doubled to right and Korwek scored on a sacrifice fly by Rocha, his fourth of the season.

In the eighth, Keady scored on an error after reaching on an infield single to start the inning.

Franklin Pierce outhit the Falcons 11-8 with senior right fielder Nick LaCroix (Grafton) leading the way with three. Junior righty Kevin McGowan (Nashua, N.H.) gained the win for the Ravens (23-11, 6-2 NE-10 Northeast), improving to 4-0 after allowing seven hits and fanning five in eight innings.

Korwek and Brennan each had two hits for Bentley (15-15, 4-3 NE-10 NE), with both extending their hitting streaks, to 13 and 12 games, respectively.

The two teams will conclude the three-game series Sunday, with the first pitch at DeFelice Field slated for 1 pm.