Baseball: Rivier slips at home, falls to Plymouth State 13-2

(Nashua, N.H.) The Rivier University Baseball team dropped a 13-2 non-conference contest this evening to visiting Plymouth State University at Historic Holman Stadium. The loss sends the Raiders to a 1-23 overall record while the Panthers climb above .500 at 12-11.

Plymouth State saw both senior Jarek Kraajewski (Cranston, R.I.) and sophomore Ryan Boldwin (Manchester, N.H.) mash homers deep over the right field wall in the lopsided win.

Junior Ty Seaton (Providence, R.I.) suffered his third loss of the year as he went four innings allowing nine runs, two earned, on seven hits while walking four and hitting two. Freshman Marcus Ferdinand (Middleboro, Mass.) and Brennan Reeves (Coventry, R.I.) spun the final five frames allowing just four runs. Reeves struck out four in four innings – the longest outing of his career.

At the plate, the Raiders were only able to muster just six hits off of five different pitchers. Senior Adam Arkell (Dover, N.H.) knocked the only extra base hit for Rivier in his 1-for-4 night while classmate Drew Neely (Lakeland, Fla.) recorded a RBI on a bases loaded fielder's choice in the eighth. Neely also finished 1-for-4.

For the Panthers, Boldwin capped his night going 2-for-6 with two RBI as he blasted his two run homer in the third inning. Krajewski was just 1-for-3 with 3 RBI on the three-run towering shot down the right-field line in the six-run fourth inning. Sophomore Ryan Richards went 4-for-6 out of the leadoff spot and classmate Josh Goulet (Nashua, N.H.) was 3-for-4 with two RBI and three stolen bases. Senior James Garnett (Newport, R.I.) also knocked in three runs as he went 1-for-1 with a HBP and sac fly.

Freshman Tyler Brown (Littleton, N.H.) earned his first collegiate win on the mound as the right-hander threw five scoreless innings, surrendering just three hits while striking out six.

The Raiders will have their season on the line this Saturday afternoon as they travel to the New England Baseball Complex for a 3pm Great Northeast Athletic Conference Double-Header with Anna Maria College. A pair of wins, coupled with some help from the other GNAC schools, could place the Raiders on a verge of sneaking into the GNAC Tournament.

Plymouth State, meanwhile, will also be back in Little East Conference action when they return to the diamond on Saturday against the University of Southern Maine. Game time is set for 12pm in Plymouth, N.H.