MANCHESTER, N.H. (May 8, 2021) -- The Franklin Pierce University baseball team wrapped up the regular season in style on Saturday afternoon, as the Ravens went on the road and swept a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader from Saint Anselm at Gill Stadium. Senior Dylan Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) rapped out five hits in the twinbill, and the Ravens scored runs up and down the lineup to pick up wins of 9-2 and 7-1.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 19-7 (16-6 NE10) and locks up the Northeast Division's second seed in the NE10 Championship, which begins next week. The Ravens will host the division's seventh seed, Saint Michael's, in the first round on Tuesday at 6 p.m. With the losses, Saint Anselm falls to 10-18 (5-14 NE10), finishes sixth and will travel to third-seeded Bentley on Tuesday.

Game 1: Franklin Pierce 9, Saint Anselm 2

Saint Anselm struck first in the opening game, with a run in the last of the first, when sophomore Brady Doran singled to left and later scored on an RBI ground-rule double to left field by junior Kyle Maurice. Franklin Pierce answered with one in the third, when graduate student James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) pulled a ball inside the bag at third and down the line for a triple, and then scored on an RBI single to center by junior Graham Smith (Wilmington, Mass.).

The Ravens broke things open with a seven-spot in the top of the fifth. With a run already in earlier in the inning, it was senior Jonel Ozuna (New York, N.Y.) who put Franklin Pierce in control. He came up with one out and the bases loaded, and brought everybody home, as he drilled a ball the other way and into the gap in left-center for a three-run triple. Jones, sophomore Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.), junior Jake Miller (Waltham, Mass.) and junior Joel Lara (Boston, Mass.) all drove in runs in the frame as well.

Saint Anselm picked up one in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by junior Mike Pierro, and Franklin Pierce added one in the top of the eighth on an RBI double by graduate student Tyler Patane (Lake Grove, N.Y.) to create the 9-2 final.

Graduate student left-hander Shawn Babineau (Ashland, Mass.) used 104 pitches (63 strikes) to make his way through six innings to pick up the win (2-1). He allowed two runs on four hits, walked four and struck out four.

Sophomore right-hander Dylan Bedder (2-5) threw 113 pitches (66 strikes) over just 4.1 innings of work for Saint Anselm. He surrendered seven runs on six hits, walked five and struck out eight.

Game 2: Franklin Pierce 7, Saint Anselm 1

In the second game, Franklin Pierce wasted no time taking control, as the Ravens struck for four runs in the top of the second. Jones led off with a double down the left-field line and later scored on an infield single by Boria, who wound up on second, thanks to an errant throw. Boria scored on an RBI single to right by Smith, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Randy Flores (Bronx, N.Y.). Lara was hit by a pitch, stole second and later scored on an RBI single to center by Battipaglia.

Saint Anselm scored one in the fourth, on an RBI double by senior Max Silverman, but never seriously threatened to get any closer. The Ravens added an unearned run in the sixth and a pair in the seventh, on an RBI single from Ozuna and a sacrifice fly from Miller, to create the 7-1 final.

Graduate student Seb Gruszecki (Dudley, Mass.) breezed through five innings on 61 pitches (39 strikes) for Franklin Pierce. He allowed one run on five hits, did not issue a walk and struck out six to pick up the win (4-0).

Freshman right-hander Matthew Michel (2-2) left after just three innings and 57 pitches (39 strikes). He was charged with four runs on six hits, walked one and hit a batter in the loss.