WORCESTER, Mass. (April 2, 2022) -- An eight-game winning streak ended with a thud on the road on Saturday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University baseball team was swept in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader by Assumption at Rocheleau Field. Neither side's pitching put together a particularly compelling effort in the first game, as the home-standing Greyhounds slugged their way to a 14-9 victory. In the second game, junior Emilio Acosta provided a walk-off single in the last of the seventh to finish off a 3-2 Assumption win.

With the losses, Franklin Pierce falls to 13-7 (4-2 NE10), while Assumption improves to 12-8 (5-1 NE10). The two teams will meet again on Sunday for an 11 a.m. doubleheader to wrap up the weekend series.

Game 1: Assumption 14, Franklin Pierce 9

Pitching was largely optional in the first game on Saturday, and the game was tied 6-6 headed for the last of the seventh, when Assumption used a six-spot to seize control. After a pair of singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one away, senior Jake Hamel dropped the hammer on the game with a grand slam to right field, his second of three home runs in the game, and his second of the season. Another hit batter and another single set the table again, and Acosta, who drove in five in the twinbill, rapped a two-run single back up the middle.

Franklin Pierce got three back in the top of the eighth, but then surrendered a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to create the 14-9 final.

Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision, nor was either one particularly effective for that matter. Graduate student left-hander Patrick Hannon (Willington, Conn.) threw 78 pitches (53 strikes) over the first 4.2 innings for Franklin Pierce, allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits, hit two batters and struck out three. For Assumption, senior right-hander Patrick Harrington fired 94 pitches (66 strikes) over six-plus innings, surrendered six runs on nine hits, walked one and struck out five.

Senior right-hander Jake Ursillo (North Haledon, N.J.) took the loss (1-2) out of the bullpen after a rough relief appearance which saw him concede three runs on four hits over 1.1 innings. Junior right-hander Justin Ray (1-0) got all three outs in the seventh, plus one more in the eighth, to chalk up the win, despite allowing three runs on one hit and three walks.

Game 2: Assumption 3, Franklin Pierce 2

The second game was a seven-inning affair, and the Ravens trailed 2-1 before rallying for the tying run it he top of the fifth. Sophomore Ryan Lavelle (East Longmeadow, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and then terrorized the Greyhounds on the bases, as he stole both second and third. The steal of third also prompted a throwing error from junior catcher Eric Preston, which allowed Lavelle to score.

It would be for naught though, as Assumption plated the winning run in the home half of the seventh. Back-to-back infield singles from Hamel and sophomore Owen Podolec put the winning run in scoring position with nobody out. Sophomore right-hander Andres Auffant (Center Moriches, N.Y.) struck out junior Kevin Cox for the first out, but then Acosta pulled the game-winning single into left field.

Sophomore right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) started and threw 97 pitches (68 strikes) over the first six innings for the Ravens. He allowed a pair of unearned runs on five hits, walked one and struck out a career-best 13. Auffant (1-2) suffered the loss after conceding the winning run in the seventh.

Junior left-hander Jack Choate (2-1) went the distance on 111 pitches (68 strikes) on the other side of the ledger. He surrendered two runs (one earned) on one hit, walked three, hit two batters and struck out 14.