Roche Fires Seven Strong, Late Long Balls Power Baseball Past Post, 6-1

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 25, 2022) -- Two days, two strong pitching performances to start the season for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team. A day after an eight-inning, nine-strikeout performance by graduate student left-hander Patrick Hannon (Willington, Conn.), sophomore right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) took the ball and did one better on Friday evening against Post at The Ripken Experience. Roche fired seven innings of one-run, five-hit ball, and struck out 10 along the way. Back-to-back home runs in the ninth from junior Jake Miller (Waltham, Mass.) and sophomore Jose Savinon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) made sure the performance held up for the Ravens, in a 6-1 win over Post.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 2-0, while Post falls to 2-3.

The teams traded runs in the opening third of the game. Post, which played as the home team, got things started in the bottom of the second, when sophomore Harry Allegra led off and launched his first home run of the season to right-center. Franklin Pierce answered in the top of the third, when junior Graham Smith (Wilmington, Mass.) reached on a two-out error, went first-to-third on a single by sophomore Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and scored on a first-and-third double-steal play.

The Ravens gave Roche all the support he would need and took the lead for good with a run in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Ryan Lavelle (East Longmeadow, Mass.) reached on a two-out single and came all the way around to score on a double into the gap in right-center by Smith.

Meanwhile, Roche (1-0) largely took care of the Eagles without much assistance. He surrendered just one run on five hits over seven innings on the mound and piled up 10 strikeouts against two walks on the way to his first collegiate victory.

Franklin Pierce set about adding some insurance after Roche departed, with one in the eighth and three in the ninth to create the 6-1 final. In the eighth, Smith was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI single through the right side by Flores. In the ninth, graduate student Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y.) singled to center and then Miller cracked a two-run home run to left field. Savinon followed and immediately clubbed a dinger of his own, a solo shot to left-center to cap the scoring.

Senior right-hander Jake Ursillo (North Haledon, N.J.) took over for Roche to start the eighth, in what was a save situation at the time. Following two scoreless innings where he allowed one hit, Ursillo picked up his first career save.

Graduate student right-hander Chas Cywin (0-1) threw eight strong innings of his own in a losing effort for Post. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits, hit one batter and struck out nine.

The Ravens have two more days left in Myrtle Beach and will face off with non-conference foe Dominican (N.Y.) in a doubleheader beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.