RINDGE, N.H. (April 20, 2016) – Senior right-hander Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass.) lasted just one inning on Wednesday afternoon and left trailing 4-0, but fellow senior right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass.) took over and fired five shutout innings to stem the tide at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Meanwhile, the No. 2/8 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team scored three in the third and four in the fourth to rally for an 8-4 win over Bridgeport in non-conference play.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 32-4, while Bridgeport falls to 17-14-1.

Bridgeport jumped on Covelle early to plate four runs on four hits in what turned into a 37-pitch top of the first inning. Covelle retired the first two batters, but then gave up a single to left by sophomore right fielder Ben Torres and a single through the left side of the infield by junior designated hitter Casey McCone. After the count went 1-0 to junior third baseman Alnaydo Rodriguez, head coach Jayson King made a visit to the mound. Covelle evened the count at 1-1, but then Rodriguez bounced a chopper over Covelle's head on the mound for an infield single to load the bases. Senior first baseman Alec Jannotta was next and launched his second home run of the season, a grand slam of an estimated 380 feet to the top of the berm beyond the fence, just to the right of straightaway left field.

Covelle eventually escaped the first inning, but gave way to Bird (5-0) to start the top of the second. Bird threw 63 pitches (45 strikes) while spinning shutout ball for the next five innings, allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out eight to pick up his fifth relief win of the season after the Ravens offense rallied for the lead. Junior right-hander Dylan Dennis (Wakefield, Mass.) threw shutout ball over the remaining three innings, allowed two hits, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out five to earn his second save of the season.

Franklin Pierce set about the comeback with three runs in the bottom of the third to cut the gap to 4-3. Senior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) legged out an infield single leading off and moved to third as Torres took a circuitous route to a fly ball towards the gap in right-center, leading to a double by senior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.). After a four-pitch walk to junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) loaded the bases, junior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) bounced into a fielder's choice, which drove home Sheehan and erased Jabs at second. Senior right fielder Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.) followed with an RBI single back through the middle to drive home Brock. DiTondo would later score the inning's final run on a wild pitch.

The Ravens followed up with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good, at 7-4. Junior second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) opened the inning with a single through the left side before both Sheehan and Brock were hit on consecutive pitches to load the bases. The second hit batsman spelled the end of the day for the Bridgeport starter, junior right-hander Denis Lyman, who gave way to senior right-hander Ridge Ackerman. Ackerman was greeted by Jabs, who pulled the seventh pitch of the at-bat through the right side for a two-run single and took second on the throw to the plate. LaVorgna followed and lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Brock, before sophomore catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec) dumped an RBI single down the right-field line to score Jabs, though Stanford was thrown out at second, trying to stretch it into a double.

Franklin Pierce tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to create the 8-4 final. Senior left fielder Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a passed ball and later scored when Sheehan bounced into an RBI fielder's choice.

Lyman (1-2) tossed 53 pitches (35 strikes) over the first three innings, plus three batters in the fourth, for Bridgeport. After Ackerman allowed all three inherited runners to score, Lyman was ultimately charged with six runs (five earned) on six hits, walked one, hit four batters, threw a wild pitch and struck out three while taking the loss.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, April 23, when they travel to Assumption for a Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon at Rocheleau Field in Worcester, Mass.

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).