CARY, N.C. (March 19, 2016) – The No. 4/9 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team picked up a 9-6 win over Dominican (N.Y.) and a 6-4 triumph over Pace on Saturday to conclude a six-game, Spring Break excursion to North Carolina at 5-1. Sophomore right-hander John Amendola (Wallingford, Conn.) logged 8.2 innings on the mound for the Ravens in the second game at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

With the pair of non-conference, neutral-site wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 17-2 as it returns north for the remainder of the regular season. With the losses, Dominican dropped to 5-8 and Pace fell to 10-7. The USA Baseball National Training Complex will also play host to the NCAA Championship National Finals in May.

In the game against Dominican, the Chargers -- playing as the visiting team -- opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third inning. Junior third baseman Max Franzone led off the inning with a double and scored two batters later on an RBI double by freshman left fielder Jordan Bernacet.

Franklin Pierce answered immediately with three runs in the bottom half of the third. Graduate student left fielder Matt Burns (Parkland, Fla.) opened the inning with a single, which spelled the end of the day early for the Dominican starter, junior right-hander Brett Schneider. Burns would steal both second and third, and also score on the steal of third, as the catcher's throw went errant. Junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) walked and stole second himself, before coming around to score on an RBI double by junior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.). LaVorgna would move to third on a groundout and score when senior first baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

Dominican picked up two runs in the top of the fourth to briefly tie the game at 3-3. Senior designated hitter Carlos Lopez opened the frame with a double and scored two batters later on a double by senior catcher Leonardo Bravo. Bravo then stole third and scored on an RBI groundout by freshman first baseman Jonel Ozuna.

The Ravens reclaimed the lead immediately, at 5-3, with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Senior second baseman Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) was hit by a pitch leading off and stole second before advancing to third on a bunt single by senior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.). Brock would steal second in the first-and-third situation, but an errant throw on the play allowed White to score and Brock to move around to third. The latter would score from there on an RBI bunt single by Burns.

Dominican knotted the game at 5-5 with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore shortstop Joseph Libio reached on an error by Brock at short leading off and moved to third on a double by Bernacet. Freshman second baseman Justin Decker would reach on an error by Brock as well, driving in Libio in the process, with Bernacet moving up to third on the play. The latter would score from there on an RBI single by junior center fielder Arbely Soto.

Things briefly settled down from there, before Franklin Pierce struck for a 7-5 lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Jabs walked leading off and moved to second on a single by LaVorgna. Jabs stole third and then scored on an errant throw on the play, which allowed LaVorgna to take second. LaVorgna then stole third and later scored on O'Herron's second sacrifice fly of the game, this one to center field.

The Ravens would tack on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to push the lead to 9-5. Back-to-back singles from White and Brock opened the inning, with each stealing a base along the way, before Burns cashed in both runs with a two-run double.

Dominican picked up a run in the top of the ninth to create the 9-6 final. Bernacet started things with a two-out single, moved to third on a double by Decker and scored on an RBI single by Soto.

Senior right-hander Miles Sheehan (Madison, Conn.) started on the mound for Franklin Pierce in the first game and threw just the first four innings. He allowed three runs on six hits, did not issue a walk, struck out five and did not factor in the decision. Senior left-hander Gage Griffin (Moosup, Conn.) logged 3.1 innings out of the bullpen to pick up the win (3-0). He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, did not issue a walk, hit a batter and struck out two.

Schneider started, but also did not factor in the decision for Dominican. Over two-plus innings, he allowed one run on one hit, walked three and struck out three. Junior left-hander Franklin Miller (1-2) took the loss while logging five innings out of the bullpen for the Chargers. He surrendered six runs (four earned) on four hits, walked three, hit two batters and struck out eight.

Against Pace, Franklin Pierce -- playing as the visiting team now -- opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Burns reached with a one-out single and moved to second on a balk. After Jabs walked to put runners at first and second, LaVorgna hit a possible double-play ball to shortstop. Pace forced out Jabs at second, but an errant throw on the back end by senior second baseman Andrew Coffey allowed Burns to score as LaVorgna reached with a fielder's choice.

Pace replied right away with two runs in the bottom half of the first. Coffey started things with a one-out single and advanced to second on an error. Senior third baseman Nick LoBello took a walk to put runners at first and second and, two batters later, sophomore left fielder Michael Gulino clubbed a two-run double to drive home both runners.

Franklin Pierce pulled into a 2-2 tie with a run in the top of the fourth. Jabs led off with a single, moved to second on a single by LaVorgna and went to third as senior right fielder Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.) bounced into a fielder's choice which erased LaVorgna at second. O'Herron was next and reached on an error by Coffey at second, while Jabs came in to score.

Pace reclaimed the lead at 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Junior center fielder John Kukura led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Coffey, went to third on a groundout and scored while junior right fielder Cory Capaldi reached on an error by Jabs at third.

The Ravens claimed the lead for good, at 4-3, with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. LaVorgna started things with a double, chasing the Pace starter, senior right-hander Dylan Mouzakes, from the game in favor of fellow senior right-hander Mike Sweeney. Sweeney was greeted by an RBI single from DiTondo to score LaVorgna. DiTondo then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by O'Herron and scored on an RBI triple by White.

Franklin Pierce tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth to push the lead to 6-3. Burns singled leading off and took second on a wild pitch. After back-to-back walks to Jabs and LaVorgna loaded the bases, both Burns and Jabs would score on wild pitches.

Pace capped the scoring with a run in the bottom of the ninth to create the 6-4 final. Gulino completed a three-RBI game by clubbing a leadoff home run. Pace ultimately put the tying run on first base against Amendola, who was bidding for his first complete game, but sophomore right-hander Brock Riley (Lowell, Mass.) came on to strike out Kukura and notch his first career save.

Amendola (2-1) fired 8.2 innings on the hill for the Ravens in the second game. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out six on the way to the win.

Mouzakes threw the first seven-plus innings and did not factor in the decision on the mound for Pace. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked three, hit a batter, balked once and struck out two. Sweeney (0-3) allowed two runs on three hits over 1.2 innings to take the loss out of the bullpen.

The Ravens return to the field on Thursday, March 24, when they return home for the first time in 2016 to take on Post in a non-conference contest. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at Pappas Field in Rindge.

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).