SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 2, 2016) – A 40-minute hail delay in the top of the seventh inning gave way to a hail of runs in the seventh and eighth innings on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 3/5 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team completed a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader sweep of American International with a 9-4 victory. Earlier in the day at Richard F. Bedard Field, the Ravens opened the twinbill with a 7-2 win.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 24-2 (6-0 Northeast-10) and has won 11 in a row for the second time this year, while American International falls to 6-18 (1-8 Northeast-10).

In the first game, AIC opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman second baseman Brendan Carter opened the inning with an infield single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI double down the left-field line by senior center fielder Tyler Geffert. Geffert would come around to score as junior first baseman Chris Starcun followed with an RBI single to right.

Franklin Pierce took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the third inning. Senior first baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) pulled a single to left leading off, moved to second on a balk and came around to score as sophomore catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec) reached on an error. Senior second baseman Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, moved to second as Stanford was caught stealing third and came around to score as senior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) reached on an error. Sheehan would score from second as senior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) followed and clubbed an RBI double to center field.

The Ravens added a run in the top of the fourth to push the lead to 4-2. With two outs and nobody on, senior right fielder Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.) pulled a single to right, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. After O'Herron walked, he was caught stealing between first and second in the first-and-third situation, but stayed alive long enough for DiTondo to score before the inning ended.

Franklin Pierce plated a trio of insurance runs in the top of the sixth to create the 7-2 final. Junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) walked leading off and moved to second as senior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) reached on an error. Both runners would come around to score as graduate student left fielder Matt Burns (Parkland, Fla.) followed and socked a two-run double into the gap in left-center. DiTondo was next and drove an RBI triple to right to score Burns.

Sophomore right-hander Anthony Matarazzo (Medford, Mass.) fired 113 pitches (75 strikes) over eight innings on the mound for the Ravens in the first game. He allowed two runs on six hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out nine to pick up the win (5-0).

Senior right-hander Harrison Paige (0-5) took the hill for AIC and tossed 87 pitches (54 strikes) over the first six innings. He was charged with seven runs (three earned) on six hits, walked two, hit three batters, balked once, threw a wild pitch and struck out two in the losing effort.

In the second game, the Ravens opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Sheehan led off the game with a walk, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Jabs.

AIC knotted the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Starcun led off the inning with a double down the left-field line, moved to third on a single to center by junior third baseman K.J. White and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by sophomore right fielder Reed Phillips.

Franklin Pierce briefly reclaimed a 2-1 lead with a run in the top of the fourth inning. O'Herron worked a one-out walk, went first-to-third on a single through the right side of the infield by Stanford and scored on an RBI groundout by Sheehan.

The Yellow Jackets surged out front, 4-2, with three runs in the home half of the fourth. Geffert was hit by a pitch leading off, moved to second as Starcun followed with a walk and went to third as K.J. White bounced into a fielder's choice which erased Starcun at second. Both runners would score on a double to center by senior catcher Mike Coyne, which chased the Franklin Pierce starter, sophomore right-hander John Amendola (Wallingford, Conn.) from the mound after just 3.2 innings. Senior right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass.) took over and immediately surrendered an RBI single to center by freshman left fielder Josh Aviles, scoring Coyne, before getting out of the inning when Stanford threw out Aviles trying to steal third.

The Ravens rallied for two runs to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Brock dropped a bunt single on the left side of the infield, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Jabs pulled an RBI double down the right-field line. After the Jabs double, the skies opened up in Springfield, resulting in a 40-minute hail delay with the tying run on second base. After the weather cleared, Jabs moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single through the left side by LaVorgna.

Having survived the hail, Franklin Pierce put forth a barrage of its own in the top of the eighth inning, plating five runs to pull away for the 9-4 victory. The first five Ravens of the inning reached base, starting with a single up the middle by DiTondo, who moved to second on a single through the left side by O'Herron. Stanford dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but wound up at second on the play, as AIC junior right-hander Anthony Crudale threw the ball away. The errant throw allowed DiTondo to score the eventual game-winning run, while O'Herron advanced to third. Kurtis White cashed in O'Herron's run with an RBI single back up the middle. The former would wind up on third on the play, as an errant throw from center field allowed Stanford to score. Kurtis White then scored on an RBI single to center by Sheehan, who stole second and scored the game's final run on an RBI single through the right side by LaVorgna.

Amendola threw 52 pitches (35 strikes) over 3.2 innings and did not factor in the decision while matching his shortest outing of the season. He was hit for four runs on five hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out four. Bird (3-0) allowed an inherited runner to score, but threw 3.1 shutout innings of relief from there, walking one and striking out five to pick up the win out of the bullpen. Making his season debut, junior right-hander Dylan Dennis (Wakefield, Mass.) threw a scoreless, hitless final two innings with one hit batsman, one wild pitch and one strike out to nail down the save.

On the other side of the ledger, sophomore left-hander Nick Kennedy also did not factor in the decision after throwing 113 pitches (67 strikes) over 6.2 innings. He surrendered four runs (three earned) on six hits, walked four, hit a batter, threw two wild pitches and struck out four. Crudale (1-1) had come on to get the final out of the seventh, but it was the only out he would record while facing five batters. While taking the loss in relief, he was ultimately charged with four runs (two earned) on three hits.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, April 5, when they travel to Saint Anselm for a Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division contest. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at Sullivan Park in Manchester, N.H.

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).