MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 26, 2017) – Sophomore right-hander Zach Hart (Wallingford, Conn.) was touched for four runs on seven hits in five innings of work, and the offense managed just two runs on six hits on Sunday morning, as the No. 7/12 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team capped its five-game, season-opening trip to Myrtle Beach with a 6-2 loss to LIU Post. Freshman left-hander Noah Lorenzo went the distance on the mound for LIU Post in the non-conference, neutral-site contest at The Ripken Experience.

With the loss, the Ravens fall to 2-3, while LIU Post improves to 6-3. In six years of opening the season with five games in Myrtle Beach, it marked the first time Franklin Pierce will return home with a losing record.

LIU Post -- playing as the visiting team -- opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning on Sunday. Junior center fielder Rob Andreoli clubbed a leadoff double and scored two batters later on an RBI double by sophomore right fielder Dave Brehm.

Franklin Pierce jumped out front, 2-1, with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, freshman left fielder Richard DiMartino (Yonkers, N.Y.) started things with a double, before junior third baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) worked a walk. DiMartino would score two batters later on an RBI single by junior right fielder Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.), while senior second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) cashed in Friday with another RBI single. Three of Franklin Pierce's six hits came in the second inning.

LIU Post claimed the lead for good, at 3-2, with a pair of runs in the top of the third. With one out, sophomore shortstop Jimmy Mendyk reached with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored as Brehm reached on an error. Brehm wound up on second on the play and would take advantage of a pair of wild pitches to come around and score. Hart ultimately fired four wild pitches in his five-inning outing.

LIU Post tacked on a run in the fifth and two in the seventh to create the 6-2 final. In the fifth, Mendyk reached on a fielder's choice and scored on an RBI single two batters later by sophomore first baseman Anthony Vaglica. In the seventh, sophomore second baseman Sal Geraci walked, Brehm reached on an error, and Vaglica cashed in both runs with a two-run double.

Meanwhile, Franklin Pierce loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but would come up empty. In fact, after loading the bases on two singles and a walk, Lorenzo retired the final 14 batters of the game.

Hart (0-1) went five innings on the mound for Franklin Pierce and suffered the loss. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, did not issue a walk, struck out three and threw four wild pitches.

Lorenzo (2-0) threw the complete game to pick up the win for LIU Post. He allowed two runs on six hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out four.

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, March 3, when they travel to Adelphi for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon at Bonomo Field in Garden City, N.Y.

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).