PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (3/11/23) – The Franklin Pierce University baseball team earned another pair of victories over host Jefferson University on Saturday afternoon, sweeping the Rams with 7-2 and 6-3 winning scores at Alumni Field.

Pierce baseball improves to 9-2 overall with the twin victories, while Jefferson slips to 5-7 with the losses.

GAME #1:
Pierce struck first in the top of the second via an RBI single to right field by outfielder Joseph Pesce (Lake Mary, Fla.), who also advanced to second on the throw to place two runners in scoring position.
In the next at bat, a wild pitch from the Rams would plate sophomore Connor Smalley (West Sayville, N.Y.) from third, handing Pierce a 2-0 lead. Jefferson would slash the lead in half with a run scored in the bottom of the inning, but would fall further behind in the top of the third.

Senior outfielder Joel Lara (Boston, Mass.) delivered a leadoff double down the left field to open the third. Lara would then find his way home on a fielder's choice by junior Julien Monks (Pacé, France), resulting in a throwing error by the Jefferson pitcher to bring the score to 3-1. With Monks now stationed at second base, infielder Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) plated the Ravens fourth run of the day with a single into left field. Pierce would go on to retire the Rams side of the inning in one-two-three fashion, preserving the 4-1 advantage.

The Ravens would tack on another pair of runs before the conclusion of the seven-inning matchup. In the top of the fifth, Battipaglia would drive home another run on another single to left field, bringing his RBI totals to two on the day. Finally, sophomore Jose Savinon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) would cash in on a sacrifice ground-out to the Jefferson shortstop, scoring the runner at third to round out Pierce's six-run performance.

Junior right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) turned in yet another quality start on the mound, collecting his third win of the season through six innings pitched, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Graduate Brian Hadden (Newburyport, Mass.) tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit with a walk and a strikeout. 

GAME #2:
Both teams got the bats going early on, with Pierce holding a 2-1 advantage through the first inning. In the top-half with runners at the corners, infielder Jose Savinon opened the scoring for the Ravens with a sacrifice fly-out to center field, plating Joel Lara from third. Shortly after, with another runner at third off a Jefferson error, sophomore Connor Smalley made it a 2-0 contest with an RBI single to the right side, scoring Ian Battipaglia. Jefferson would respond with an RBI single of their own in the bottom-half.

Pierce would further their lead with another two runs in the third inning, beginning with a score by infielder Julien Monks on another Jefferson miscue. Two batters later, with runners once again at the corners, Joseph Pesce drove in the fourth run of the day for the Ravens with an RBI single to left field, bringing the score to 4-1. However, in an effort to try and remain in the running, Jefferson would return fire with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Raven lead down to just 4-3.

Over the next two innings, the Ravens would score twice more. In the top of the fifth, graduate Brian Hadden re-established the Pierce lead with a sacrifice fly-out to center, scoring Jose Savinon from third. Then, following a shutdown of the opponent in the bottom of the fifth, Julien Monks kept it going with an RBI single in the top of the sixth, notching the eventual game-winning run for the Ravens.

Junior Chaz Powell (Stamford, Conn.) made his third start of the season for the Ravens, and pitched through 3.1 innings with three runs allowed on six hits, equally walking and striking out two batters. Sean Foody (Tappan, N.Y.) entered in the fourth inning from the bullpen, and kept the opponent scoreless on just two hits allowed, two walks and two strikeouts.