WORCESTER, Mass. (April 26, 2018) – Perhaps taking out some aggression from the team's last two outings, the Franklin Pierce University baseball team came out hitting on Thursday afternoon at Rocheleau Field. The big inning was a six-run top of the fifth, as the Ravens collected 11 runs on 13 hits overall, on the way to an 11-6 road win over Assumption in Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division play.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 24-12-1 (13-6 NE10, 8-5 NE Div.), while Assumption falls to 17-22-1 (11-10-1 NE10, 8-6 NE Div.). Combined with a doubleheader split on April 14, Franklin Pierce took two of the three games in the season series.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Things started shakily for the home side, as sophomore shortstop Joe Napolitano (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) hit the fourth pitch of the game on the ground, straight at Assumption junior shortstop Hunter Tralli, but the latter mishandled it for an error to open the afternoon. Junior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.) followed with a single to right field, and then a walk loaded the bases for graduate student first baseman Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Coggeshall opened a three-RBI day by roping a double into center field to drive home Napolitano and Roberto.

A run in the third and another in the fourth served to double the lead to 4-0. In the third, Roberto led off with a double to right and later scored on an RBI single back through the middle of the infield by Coggeshall. In the fourth, senior right fielder Zach Tower (Auburn, Mass.) reached on an error leading off and would later score when sophomore second baseman James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) bounced into an RBI fielder's choice.

Assumption got on the board with a run in the home half of the fourth to make it 4-1. Senior catcher Andrew Jaehnig led off with a single to right, and then came all the way around to score when sophomore designated hitter Derek Adamson followed with a triple to right.

The Ravens broke things wide open with a six-spot in the top of the fifth to expand the lead all the way out to 10-1. Boria made it a three-RBI day with the big blow of the inning, a bases-loaded, two-run double pulled down the left-field line. Tower and senior center fielder Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.) had RBI singles in the inning, while senior third baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) socked an RBI double to left field.

Assumption got three in the fifth and two in the sixth, primarily via the long ball, to cut the gap down to 10-6. In the fifth, junior right fielder Kevin Quinlivan led off with a triple over the head of Tower, who misjudged the hard liner to right, and then immediately scored on an RBI single back up the middle by freshman third baseman Dillon Zona. Later in the inning, junior left fielder Trevor McQuade provided a two-out, two-run home run to right-center field, his second of the season. In the sixth, Quinlivan clubbed a homer deep to straightaway right, his third of the campaign.

Franklin Pierce got an insurance run in the top of the seventh to create the 11-6 final. Chase took the second pitch of the inning and drove it out in the deepest part of the park, just to the left of straightaway center, for a home run of over 400 feet. It was his second home run of the year.

Senior right-hander John Amendola (Wallingford, Conn.) took the ball and threw 98 pitches (70 strikes) over eight innings of work on the hill for Franklin Pierce. He allowed six runs on 11 hits, hit a batter and struck out four on the way to the win (5-1).

For Assumption, it was 80 pitches (53 strikes) over just 4.1 innings on the mound for freshman right-hander Cole Chudoba (4-4). He was tagged for 10 runs (eight earned) on 12 hits, walked one and struck out four while taking the loss.

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, April 27, when they return home to host Bentley to open a three-game NE10, Northeast Division series. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at Pappas Field in Rindge.

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).