First of three between Ravens and Lions

SAINT LEO, Fla. (March 14, 2014) – Junior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) went 3-for-5 to lead an 11-hit attack, but the No. 9/23 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team could scratch out just one run on Friday night in a 5-1 loss to Saint Leo in non-conference play at Thomas B. Southard Stadium. Senior left fielder Chris Newcomb went 3-for-5 for Saint Leo in the victory.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 10-5 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Saint Leo improves to 13-7 (0-3 Sunshine State). The two teams meet again at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Southard Stadium to continue the three-game series.

Saint Leo opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a lead it would never relinquish. Newcomb ripped a double to left-center to open the inning in front of sophomore shortstop Taylor Perez, who was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. After both runners moved up on a groundout, senior first baseman Fran Whitten knocked an RBI single back up the middle to plate Newcomb. Freshman second baseman Alex Mata was next and hit a ground ball on the left side which scored Perez from third.

Two more runs for the Lions in the bottom of the second doubled the lead to 4-0. Freshman third baseman Dylan Harris led off with an infield single and moved to second on a wild pitch, before junior center fielder Kevin Games reached on an error which moved Harris to third. Junior catcher Dale Irving brought home the first run of the inning with a groundball for an RBI fielder's choice. Newcomb followed with a single to load the bases and, two batters later, junior designated hitter Nick Perez grounded out to second base and picked up an RBI as Games scored an unearned run.

Franklin Pierce got on the board with a run in the top of the fourth inning to cut the gap to 4-1. Junior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) opened the inning with a single back up the middle and went first-to-third two batters later on a single through the right side of the infield by senior designated hitter Marty Dunlap (Dorchester, Mass.). Walsh scored from third when freshman left fielder Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) followed and lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

Saint Leo picked up the game's final run in the bottom of the fifth to create the 5-1 final. Junior right fielder Bobby Twitty worked a lead-off walk, stole second and moved to third two batters later on a groundout by Games. Twitty's run would wind up unearned, as he scored when Irving reached on an error on what would have been the inning's third out.

Senior right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) started on the mound for Franklin Pierce but would not get out of the second inning. He went one-plus, faced five batters in the second, was charged with four runs (three earned) on four hits, hit one batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out one while taking the loss (2-2).

Sophomore right-hander Michael Dunnigan took the ball for Saint Leo on Friday night. Over eight innings of work, he scattered 10 hits to allow only one run, did not issue a walk and struck out two on the way to the win (4-1).

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).