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Pitching Lights Out as No. 4/5 Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader at Stonehill, 2-0 and 4-1

Pitching Lights Out as No. 4/5 Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader at Stonehill, 2-0 and 4-1

Brock has pair of two-hit games

EASTON, Mass. (March 26, 2016) – The pitching staff for the No. 4/5 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team allowed just one run on 10 hits over two games on Saturday afternoon, as the Ravens swept a Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division doubleheader on the road at Stonehill. The Ravens took the first game, 2-0, at Lou Gorman Field, behind 6.2 shutout innings from sophomore right-hander Anthony Matarazzo (Medford, Mass.), before sophomore right-hander John Amendola (Wallingford, Conn.) followed with eight strikeouts over 8.1 innings in a 4-1 win in the second game.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 20-2 (2-0 Northeast-10, 2-0 Northeast Division) and has won seven in a row, while Stonehill falls to 11-8 (0-2 Northeast-10, 0-2 Northeast Division). The two teams will meet at Lou Gorman Field at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, March 28, to close out the three-game series.

In the first game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Senior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) worked a walk with one out, moved to second as junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) reached on an error and scored on an RBI double into right-center by junior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.).

The game would remain 1-0 until the top of the seventh inning, when the Ravens doubled the lead and created the 2-0 final. Senior right fielder Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.) led off and clubbed a double to right field, and then came across to score on an RBI single the other way into right-center by sophomore catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec).

Meanwhile, Matarazzo (4-0) was working his way through the Skyhawks without much trouble. Over 6.2 shutout innings on the hill, he allowed five hits, did not issue a walk and struck out five. Senior right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass.) also did not issue a walk -- though he did hit a batter -- while throwing shutout ball and striking out one over the final 2.1 innings to notch his first collegiate save.

Sophomore right-hander Michael Young (1-4) took the ball and logged the first eight innings on the hill for Stonehill. He allowed two runs on six hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out three.

In the second game, the Ravens opened the scoring in the top of the first inning again, this time with two runs. With one out, Brock singled into left-center and stole second in front of Jabs, who drew a walk. LaVorgna -- who played left field in the second game -- was next with an RBI single into center field to score Brock, before DiTondo took a walk to load the bases. Senior first baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to drive home Jabs.

Franklin Pierce expanded the lead to 3-0 with an unearned run in the top of the third. Jabs took a leadoff walk and moved to second as LaVorgna reached on an error by junior shortstop Steve Lee. After a double steal moved the runners to second and third, Jabs eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to left by sophomore designated hitter Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.).

The Ravens tacked on their final run of the afternoon in the top of the seventh to push the lead as high as 4-0. DiTondo reached with a one-out walk, stole second and moved to third as Octave reached with an infield single. With two outs, Franklin Pierce put on the first-and-third play, with Octave ultimately caught stealing second base, but not before DiTondo could cross home plate with the game's fourth run.

Stonehill picked up its only run of the contest in the bottom of the eighth to create the 4-1 final. Junior first baseman Eddie Bowler led off with a double to center and scored two batters later on an RBI single to left by sophomore catcher Justin Nicklas.

Outside of the eighth inning, Amendola (3-1) had little trouble taking care of the Skyhawks in the back end of the doubleheader. Over 8.1 innings, he allowed one run on four hits, walked one and struck out eight. In the ninth, Jabs came on to record the game's final out and earn his first save of the season.

Meanwhile, junior left-hander Jeremy Roberts (1-3) threw the first three innings for Stonehill. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, walked three, hit a batter, balked once and struck out two.

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).