Ravens finish regular season 42-2

WALTHAM, Mass. (May 2, 2015) – Sophomore designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) doubled leading off the seventh and later scored on an RBI single by junior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) to break a 3-3 tie in the first game on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 1/3 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team picked up a 4-3 win on the road over Bentley in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division play at DeFelice Field. The Ravens made things much less interesting in the second game, as an eight-run sixth keynoted a 20-hit attack in a 16-3 Franklin Pierce win.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 42-2 (24-1 Northeast-10, 20-1 Northeast Division) to finish off the regular season and has won 23 in a row, extending the team's program-record winning streak. With the losses, Bentley falls to 9-23 (7-13 Northeast-10, 7-13 Northeast Division). The second win of the day was the 600th in a Franklin Pierce uniform for head coach Jayson King. He had previously won his 600th game overall in his career on March 21 against Saint Michael's.

Franklin Pierce will open the postseason at home on Tuesday night, as the Northeast Division's top seed in the first round of the Northeast-10 Championship. The Ravens will host fourth seed Merrimack (17-17, 11-12 Northeast-10, 9-12 Northeast Division) at 7 p.m. at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field.

In Saturday's first game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Junior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) led off with a single into center. Sophomore third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) was next and hit a possible double-play ball back to the mound. The throw to second by Bentley senior right-hander Bill Sullivan was errant though, and escaped into center field, which allowed Sheehan to advance to third to put runners at the corners. Sheehan then scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by senior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.).

The Ravens doubled the lead to 2-0 with a run in the top of the third. Brock pushed a bunt single on the left side leading off and moved to second when Sheehan followed with a bunt single of his own. After a double steal put runners at second and third, Brock would score on an RBI groundout on the left side by Razzino.

Bentley struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth to jump to a 3-2 lead. The inning started at the top of the order with junior shortstop Zachary Littman, who took a five-pitch walk. Junior right-hander Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass.) then picked Littman off, but junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) could not handle the throw, which allowed Littman to advance to second. After Covelle hit senior right fielder Tom Nagy and walked senior first baseman Ryan O'Connor, junior catcher Bryan Rocha slugged a three-run double over the head of Razzino in right field to promptly unload the bases.

The lead was short-lived for the Falcons, as Franklin Pierce answered with a run in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Junior left fielder Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) reached on an infield single leading off and wound up on second on the play, as Littman threw the ball away. White then stole third, and scored on the play as well, as Rocha's throw sailed over the head of the third baseman and down the left-field line.

Franklin Pierce struck for the lead, and the game's final run, in the top of the seventh inning. LaVorgna opened the inning with a double the other way into the gap in right-center, tagged and moved to third on a flyout to center by sophomore second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.), and scored on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Brock.

Covelle got in trouble to start the bottom half of the seventh, as Rocha singled and moved to second on a sacrifice, before graduate student designated hitter Kevin Foley singled through the right side to put runners at the corners with one away. The Ravens went to the bullpen and summoned senior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.), who induced a 4-6-3 double play on his second pitch to sophomore second baseman Carl Farnham to end the inning.

In all, Covelle threw 98 pitches (66 strikes) over 6.1 innings on the mound. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out nine to pick up the win (5-0). After getting the double play to end the seventh, Fahey worked around a two-out single in both the eighth and ninth innings to throw the final 2.2 innings. He struck out four along the way to pick up his third save of the campaign.

On the other side, Sullivan went the distance and threw 122 pitches (81 strikes), as the second Bentley starter in as many days allowed to throw over 120 pitches. Over nine innings, Sullivan allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked one, threw a wild pitch and struck out four while taking the loss (2-3).

In the second game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Sheehan took a four-pitch walk to start the game and then stole second. He moved to third as Razzino flew out in foul territory down the right-field line and scored as senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) reached on a fielding error by Littman at shortstop.

Bentley briefly took a two-run lead with a pair of runs in the home half of the first. Littman singled through the right side, stole second and wound up on third on the play, as Walsh's throw sailed into center field. After a walk to freshman left fielder Nick Neshe put runners at the corners, Littman scored on an RBI groundout to first by senior center fielder Mike Muir. Nagy followed and cashed in Neshe from second with an RBI single into right field.

Again, the lead was short-lived for the Falcons, as Franklin Pierce plated a run in the top of the second to tie the game at 2-2. O'Herron took a five-pitch walk leading off, moved to second on a groundout and scored on an RBI single to left by White.

The Ravens took the lead for good, at 5-2, with a three-spot in the top of the third. Brock reached on an infield single leading off and wound up on second as freshman third baseman Mike Samko threw the ball away. After Brock stole third, he scored as Razzino pushed a two-out safety squeeze on the right side and easily beat it out for a bunt single and an RBI. Razzino moved to second on a single through the left side by Walsh, and both runners scored on a two-run double over the head of the right fielder by O'Herron.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead to 7-2 with two more runs in the top of the fourth. Hood dumped a single inside the left-field line leading off and moved to second on a single to right by White. After a single to center by Sheehan loaded the bases, Jabs hit a grounder to first and reached on a fielder's choice as Hood was forced out at the plate. Razzino followed and went the other way for a two-out, two-run single to right.

The Ravens broke the game wide open in the top of the sixth, when they sent 14 men to the plate and scored eight runs to inflate the lead to 15-2. Jabs had the biggest blow of the inning with a two-run single to right, while Razzino drove in his fourth run of the game with an RBI single through the right side. Also in the frame, Walsh and LaVorgna each had RBI singles as well, while White and Sheehan each worked bases-loaded walks to force home runs.

Bentley scored a run in the bottom of the seventh and Franklin Pierce added one more in the top of the eighth to create the 16-3 final. In the seventh, Samko worked a lead-off walk and eventually scored when Neshe bounced into an RBI fielder's choice. In the eighth, freshman Garet Griffin (Moosup, Conn.) had a pinch-hit single and ultimately scored on an RBI double into the gap in left-center by freshman catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec).

Senior right-hander Conor Gleason (North Stonington, Conn.) took the ball in the second game for the Ravens and left with a huge lead after six innings. He threw 82 pitches (50 strikes), allowed two runs on two hits, walked four, hit a batter and struck out seven to pick up the win (3-0).

Graduate student right-hander Scott Lueders threw 81 pitches (50 strikes) over five innings and left after failing to retire any of the first six batters in the sixth inning in his final collegiate start. Lueders was ultimately charged with 13 runs (12 earned) on 15 hits, walked two and did not record a strikeout while taking the loss (1-5).

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).