LaVorgna socks first collegiate home run

SAINT LEO, Fla. (March 16, 2014) – A nine-run fourth inning turned a 3-1 lead into a 10-3 deficit on Sunday afternoon for the No. 9/23 Franklin Pierce University baseball team, which went on to drop a 13-4 decision to Saint Leo in non-conference play at Thomas B. Southard Stadium. Freshman left fielder Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) hit the first home run of his college career in defeat for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 11-6 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Saint Leo improves to 14-8 (0-3 Sunshine State). Saint Leo took two out of three games in the weekend series between the two clubs.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring on Sunday with two runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, junior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) singled to left, stole second and scored on an RBI single back up the middle by freshman third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, R.I.). Jabs, in turn, stole second and scored two batters later on an RBI double yanked down the left-field line by sophomore first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.).

Saint Leo picked up a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the gap to 2-1. Junior center fielder Kevin Games opened the inning by pulling a double down the left-field line. After a hit batsman and a walk loaded the bases, Games scored from third on a sacrifice fly to center by senior first baseman Fran Whitten.

The Ravens pushed the lead back to two runs at 3-1 with a run in the top of the fourth. LaVorgna opened the frame with his first collegiate home run, a solo shot to left field.

Things came undone for Franklin Pierce in the home half of the fourth, as Saint Leo sent 14 men to the plate against four different Ravens pitchers and hammered out nine runs on nine hits. Sophomore designated hitter Cole Stancil had the first blow of the inning with a two-run single to right-center field, and had another two-run single when he came to the plate again later in the inning, to drive in four runs in the frame. Freshman second baseman Alex Mata also had a two-run single in the inning, while freshman third baseman Dylan Harris and Games had RBI singles in the frame as well. Along the way, senior left fielder Chris Newcomb brought home a run with a bunt on a squeeze play.

Saint Leo tacked on two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and two more in the bottom of the eighth to create the 14-3 final. In the seventh, the Lions scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore shortstop Taylor Perez and an RBI double to the gap in left-center by Whitten. In the eighth, junior catcher Dale Irving clubbed a two-run home run to left field, his first of the season.

Junior right-hander Brendan O'Rourke (Shrewsbury, Mass.) started on the mound for Franklin Pierce, but did not get out of the fourth inning. Over 3.1 innings, he was touched for five runs on six hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out four while taking the loss (2-1).

Freshman right-hander Josh Mollett took the ball for Saint Leo, but left in the second inning without factoring in the decision. Over 1.2 innings, he allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and hit a batter. Senior right-hander Brent Krauss took over from there, threw the next 6.1 innings and picked up the win (3-0). Krauss allowed one run on three hits and walked one.

The Ravens return to the field on Monday, March 17, when they travel to Tampa for a non-conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at University of Tampa Baseball Field in Tampa, Fla.

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).