RINDGE, N.H. (March 21, 2021) -- Junior right fielder Ryan Lavelle (East Longmeadow, Mass.) put a one-hop throw to home plate right on the money to throw out the tying run to end the game and send the No. 23 Franklin Pierce University baseball team storming out of the dugout in celebration (video) at Pappas Field on Sunday afternoon. The throw preserved a 6-5 win for the Ravens, who capped off a three-game weekend sweep of American International by taking both ends of the twinbill. Earlier in the day, junior second baseman Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y) went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple to lead a 10-hit attack in a 10-5 win.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 3-0, while AIC falls to 1-7. The Ravens are scheduled to be back in action for back-to-back doubleheaders at Bentley on March 27-28.

Game 1: Franklin Pierce 10, American International 5

Trailing 3-2, Franklin Pierce took control of the first game with a five-run bottom of the sixth inning. Graduate student third baseman James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) drew a one-out walk and sophomore shortstop Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) provided an infield single, before junior designated hitter Jethro Hurt (New York, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Another hit batsman, this time junior pinch hitter Jake Miller (Waltham, Mass.), forced home the tying run, and then an infield single from junior center fielder Joel Lara (Boston, Mass.) gave the Ravens the lead for good. Senior catcher Dylan Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) rapped a two-run single back up the middle to make it 6-3, and graduate student first baseman Tyler Patane (Lake Grove, N.Y.) capped the inning with an RBI single through the left side of the infield.

After Franklin Pierce surrendered two runs in the top of the seventh, Flores provided some much-needed insurance in the home half of the inning. He laced a two-out double into left-center to drive home two runs, and a third run scored on an error on the play as well.

Graduate student right-hander Seb Gruszecki (Dudley, Mass.) started and threw 97 pitches (58 strikes) over the first six innings to pick up his first win (1-0) as a Raven. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, walked four and struck out five. Junior right-hander Ryan Mueller (Lynbrook, N.Y.) faced just eight batters over the final 2.1 innings while nailing down his first save as a Raven. He held AIC scoreless and surrendered just one hit while striking out three, including one to strand a runner at third in the seventh.

Graduate student right-hander Joe Pepe tossed 92 pitches (64 strikes) over 5.1 innings for AIC. He was charged with five runs on five hits, walked four, struck out two and did not factor in the decision. The loss went to junior right-hander Mason St. Pierre (1-1) out of the bullpen, after he was tagged for five runs (four earned) on five hits over just 1.2 innings.

Game 2: Franklin Pierce 6, American International 5

In the second game, Franklin Pierce trailed 5-2, but then used two in the fifth and two in the sixth to surge to the lead. In the fifth, sophomore first baseman Jose Savinon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) knocked a one-out single into left-center and came all the way around to score on a two-out double to left-center field by Boria. Boria later scored on a single through the right side of the infield by Hurt.

In the sixth, Lara walked, stole second and scored to tie the game on a single back up the middle by Jones. After Jones stole second, Savinon provided what would stand as the game-winning RBI, with a single through the right side of the infield.

After senior right-hander Jack Wallace (Winthrop, Mass.) worked a scoreless eighth, things would get dicey for the Ravens with sophomore right-hander Hunter Reynolds (Marlborough, Mass.) on the mound in the ninth. A one-out double and a wild pitch combined to put the tying run at third base with just one out and the leadoff hitter, senior shortstop Angel Mendez, at the plate. Mendez did his part, as he went the other way and lifted a fly ball to medium-deep right field. Lavelle would foil AIC's game-tying rally though, as he lined things up and fired a one-hop rocket to the plate. Jones took the throw cleanly and swiped a tag onto junior Cam DeFeo, before the second baseman could slide into the outside corner of the plate.

The dramatic throw preserved a win (1-0) for junior right-hander Zack Brundage (Wellington, Fla.), who worked a scoreless sixth and seventh with four strikeouts, in relief of freshman right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.). Roche threw 79 pitches (46 strikes) over five innings, allowed five runs on five hits, walked three and struck out four. Reynolds wound up with the save after a scoreless, if eventful, ninth.

Graduate student right-hander Matt Costanza used 82 pitches (54 strikes) to get through the first five innings and did not factor in the decision for AIC. He allowed four runs on six hits, walked three and struck out one. Junior left-hander Jay Chiappetta pitched the sixth and took the loss (0-2) after allowing two runs on two hits and a walk.