RINDGE, N.H. (May 12, 2016) – Three pitchers combined to allow four runs on just one hit in the top of the eighth inning Thursday night, as the bullpen of the No. 1/3 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team failed to hold a 3-2 lead in an elimination game on the first day of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. After falling behind 6-3, the Ravens loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth, but managed just one run and went on to drop a 6-4 decision to Saint Rose.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce -- the Northeast Division's top seed -- falls to 45-6 and is eliminated from the Championship. The Ravens are expected to earn an at-large berth in next week's NCAA Championship East Regional, but Thursday's two losses leave their top seed very much in jeopardy. The NCAA selection show is scheduled for 10 p.m. on Sunday, and will be streamed live at NCAA.com. For Franklin Pierce, Thursday's losses marked the program's first back-to-back losses since May 15-16, 2014 at that season's East Regional.

With the win, Saint Rose -- the Southwest Division's fourth seed -- improves to 20-19 and advances to play another elimination game on Friday afternoon. The Golden Knights will meet the loser of Friday's winner's bracket game, which features Southern New Hampshire and Pace. The SNHU/Pace game is scheduled for 10 a.m., with the second game to follow 35 minutes after the conclusion of the first. Friday's schedule was altered in an attempt to get the games in before expected wet weather in the afternoon and evening.

Trailing 2-1 on Thursday night and nine outs from elimination, Franklin Pierce struck for a 3-2 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Working against Saint Rose junior right-hander Carmine Vricciariello, senior first baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) worked a five-pitch walk leading off and moved to second two batters later when sophomore catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec) lashed a single into left. Graduate student Matt Burns (Parkland, Fla.) pinch-ran for O'Herron at second base and moved to third as junior second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) was hit by the next pitch to load the bases. After a mound visit from the Saint Rose dugout, senior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) worked a seven-pitch walk to force home Burns with the tying run. Two batters later, junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) was hit by the third pitch of his plate appearance to force in the go-ahead run.

The Ravens bullpen could not hold the newly-found lead however, as Saint Rose responded with four runs in the top of the eighth inning to jump to a 6-3 lead. Senior designated hitter Nick Venier worked an eight-pitch walk leading off against Franklin Pierce freshman right-hander Tanner Putnam (New Boston, N.H.), who then walked junior shortstop Tyler Ungerland on four straight pitches. The second free pass spelled the end of the line for Putnam, who gave way to freshman right-hander Tony Sylvester (Pepperell, Mass.), who faced just one batter, who laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third.

Junior right-hander Adam Fournier (Dartmouth, Mass.) would be the next man out of the Ravens bullpen and would be the one on the mound as the game came unraveled for Franklin Pierce. The second pitch he threw went to the backstop for a wild pitch, allowing Venier to score. As Stanford hastened to collect the errant pitch, he snapped an ill-advised throw back to Fournier covering the plate. With little chance to throw out the runner anyway, the throw turned from bad idea to bad reality, as it escaped into foul territory down the first-base line, allowing Ungerland to come around to score as well, giving Saint Rose a 4-3 lead. After issuing a walk to sophomore right fielder Sean Maki, Fournier served up the second home run of the season for junior catcher Joe DeLuca, who hit a line drive an estimated 375 feet to left field to make it a 6-3 game.

Franklin Pierce picked up a run in the bottom of the eighth, but could get no closer. Senior right fielder Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.) reached on an infield single leading off. Sophomore first baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) was next and bounced a tailor-made double-play ball to shortstop, but Ungerland could not handle it cleanly, leaving everybody safe. Senior left fielder Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) followed with an RBI single off the glove of a diving Ungerland and up the middle to score DiTondo.

Earlier in the day, Franklin Pierce had opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, O'Herron knocked a single into left-center and moved around to third when White followed and pulled a double to the fence in right field. O'Herron would then score on an RBI groundout by Stanford.

Saint Rose took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Junior third baseman Alex Chandler started things with a two-out single back through the middle and moved to second on a single through the right side by Maki. Both runners would score on a two-run double into the gap by DeLuca, who drove in four runs on the night.

Sophomore right-hander John Amendola (Wallingford, Conn.) started and threw 95 pitches (71 strikes) over the first 6.1 innings for Franklin Pierce. He allowed two runs on seven hits, did not issue a walk, struck out four and did not factor in the decision. Putnam (2-1) took the loss out of the bullpen after allowing two runs on two walks over two-thirds of an inning.

Senior right-hander Nick Cioffi took the ball for Saint Rose and threw 92 pitches (59 strikes) over the opening six innings. He allowed one run on five hits, did not issue a walk and struck out one. Senior left-hander Joe Pokrentowski (2-1) came on the seventh, stranded the bases loaded and allowed just one unearned run on three hits while striking out one over the final 2.1 innings to pick up the win.

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).