CARY, N.C. (March 10, 2020) – On "Getaway Day" of a five-day North Carolina trip for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team, it seemed at times like the Ravens and the Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas were determined to play all day and all night on Tuesday. In a non-conference game which featured 25 runs, 25 hits, 15 strikeouts and 13 walks, Franklin Pierce did just enough to conclude its trip with a 14-11 win at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. Graduate student third baseman Tyler Patane (Lake Grove, N.Y.) led the way for the Ravens, as he went 3-for-3 with a double and a home run, walked once, scored four times and drove in three runs.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 7-8, while STAC falls to 5-8.

Things were eventful right from the start on Tuesday, as the two teams combined for 17 runs through the first three innings. Franklin Pierce head coach Mike Chambers was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the third inning, in a move which seemed to only energize his team's bench. The Ravens went on to plate four runs with two outs in the frame, as senior catcher Dylan Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) rifled a two-run double into the left-field corner and Patane followed with an opposite-field two-run home run, his second of the season.

All the zigs and zags added up to a game which was tied at 10-10 through five innings, but then Franklin Pierce took control from there, with two in the bottom of the sixth and an insurance marker in the seventh. In the sixth, Jones led off with a walk and motored all the way around to score as Patane drove an RBI double deep into the gap in left-center. Patane moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior left fielder John Mead (Washington Township, N.J.). In the seventh, freshman shortstop Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored when sophomore second baseman Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.) looped a single over the drawn-in infield and into left-center field.

St. Thomas Aquinas cut the gap to 13-11 with a run in the top of the eighth. Senior center fielder Anthony Maisano reached on an error by Flores at second, moved around to third on a double to right-center by senior first baseman Brian Donnelly and scored on a groundout.

Franklin Pierce answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth to add some more insurance and ultimately create the 14-11 final. The leadoff walk was trouble again for the Spartans, as Patane drew the base on balls to start the inning, moved to second on a passed ball and later scored on a two-out single back up the middle by Battipaglia.

St. Thomas Aquinas would get the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but sophomore left fielder Andrew Guerra flew out to the center fielder to end the game.

For Franklin Pierce, freshman right-hander Andres Auffant (Center Moriches, N.Y.) started and threw 52 pitches (40 strikes) over the first 2.1 innings, but was long gone by the time the game was decided. He surrendered five runs on seven hits and struck out two. Junior right-hander Jack Wallace (Winthrop, Mass.) picked up the win (1-0) for his 2.2 innings of scoreless, hitless work, though he did walk two along the way, as he took over in the fifth and pitched through the seventh. Freshman right-hander Hunter Reynolds (Marlborough, Mass.) allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk, while striking out two over the final two innings to nail down his first collegiate save.

The St. Thomas Aquinas starter had long since departed by the time things were decided as well. Junior right-hander Reyan Mustafoski needed 72 pitches (51 strikes) to get through just 2.2 innings, as he was tagged for 10 runs on nine hits, walked two, hit two batters and struck out five. Graduate student right-hander John Greeley (0-1) ultimately suffered the loss, as he surrendered the runs in the sixth. Over 3.1 innings, he was charged with two runs on one hit, walked one and struck out three.

Franklin Pierce has the weekend off and is scheduled to return to the field on Wednesday, March 18, for a non-conference trip to Pace. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Finnerty Field in Pleasantville, N.Y.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). 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' brand new online store (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).