SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 20, 2021) -- It took some time for the offense to kick into gear in Saturday afternoon's season opener, but when it did, the No. 23 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team hit top speed in a hurry. The Ravens used a seven-run rally with two outs in the seventh to take control of their first game in more than a year, and put together a 9-4 victory on the road over American International. Senior left fielder John Mead (Washington Township, N.J.) and graduate student first baseman Tyler Patane (Lake Grove, N.Y.) both slugged home runs in the non-conference victory at Bedard Field.

With the win, Franklin Pierce opens its season at 1-0, while AIC falls to 1-5. The two teams will wrap up their three-game weekend series on Sunday at Franklin Pierce, with a doubleheader beginning at noon at Pappas Field.

Trailing 4-2 heading into the late stages of the game, the top of the seventh got off to a pedestrian start for Franklin Pierce, as junior second baseman Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.) grounded out and senior catcher Dylan Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) struck out. Two batters later though, the game was tied. First, Patane clubbed a solo home run to center field to cut the gap to one, and Mead followed with a game-tying blast to right, as the Ravens went back-to-back with two outs.

It was just the start of the rally, as Franklin Pierce took off from there and plated five more runs with two away. After graduate student third baseman James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) doubled to right, sophomore shortstop Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) pulled an RBI single through the left side of the infield to give the Ravens a lead they would not relinquish. After a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, junior center fielder Joel Lara (Boston, Mass.) cashed in a run with an infield single. A passed ball brought in another run, before Flores -- who went 4-for-6 with two extra-base hits -- pulled a two-run single into right field to cap the scoring.

Earlier in the day, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring on an RBI groundout by Patane in the top of the first. AIC used an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Kyle Leifert to tie things in the second. The Yellow Jackets then staked out a 4-1 lead in the fourth, on a two-run single by freshman designated hitter Alejandro Mosquera and a run via a wild pitch. Jones provided an RBI double in the fifth to cut the lead to two and set the stage for the climactic seventh inning.

Graduate student right-hander Derek Duffy (Farmington, Conn.) started on the mound and threw 51 pitches (37 strikes) over 3.1 innings for the Ravens. He allowed four runs, though three came around to score after he left the game in the fourth. Duffy allowed five hits, walked two and struck out four. Senior left-hander Patrick Hannon (Willington, Conn.) eventually picked up the win (1-0) out of the bullpen for the Ravens. He took over to start the fifth, fired three scoreless innings, allowed one hit, walked one and struck out three.

Senior left-hander Joe Kemlage took the ball for AIC, tossed 106 pitches (70 strikes) over six innings and was stuck with a no-decision after the bullpen surrendered the lead. He allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and piled up 11 strikeouts. Sophomore right-hander Ethan Teixeira (1-1) took over to start the seventh and suffered the loss for the Yellow Jackets. Over two innings, he was tagged for seven runs (six earned) on six hits, walked one and struck out one.