RINDGE, N.H. (April 10, 2016) – Junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) hit a pair of home runs and four bullpen arms staved off a late charge by Pace in the second game on Sunday afternoon, as the No. 2/3 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep of the Setters with a 9-7 victory. Earlier in the day at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field, the Ravens hammered out 15 runs on 16 hits in a 15-3 victory in the first game.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 28-3 (10-1 Northeast-10), while Pace falls to 17-13 (5-6 Northeast-10).

In the first game, Pace opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Junior center fielder John Kukura opened the game with a triple the other way into the gap in right-center and eventually scored on an errant pickoff throw to first base by the Franklin Pierce starting pitcher, senior left-hander Gage Griffin (Moosup, Conn.).

Franklin Pierce responded immediately, with four runs in the home half of the first inning to claim a 4-1 lead. With one out, senior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to start things and moved to second when Jabs dumped a single the other way into shallow left field. After junior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) walked to load the bases, senior second baseman Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.) slugged a three-run triple into the gap in right-center. White would then score two batters later on a ground-rule double to right-center by senior right fielder Max DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.).

The Ravens picked up two more runs in the bottom of the third to push the lead to 6-1. Jabs took a five-pitch walk leading off and moved around to third when LaVorgna took the next pitch down the left-field line for a double. Two batters later, senior first baseman Matthew O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) cashed in both runners with a two-run single into left-center field.

Pace closed the gap to 6-3 with two runs in the top of the fourth. Junior right fielder Cory Capaldi led off with an infield single to first, as Griffin lost a foot race to the bag while covering. Capaldi moved to second when junior first baseman Garrett De Lotto looped a pop up to right-center which fell in between the second baseman, right fielder and center fielder. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, senior catcher Frank Mayo drove them both home with a two-run single to center.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead back to 7-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Brock led off the inning and crushed the second pitch into the parking lot beyond the bleachers in straightaway left field for a solo home run -- his third of the season -- of an estimated 385 feet.

The Ravens broke the game wide open with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 11-3. Jabs singled and later scored on a bases-loaded walk issued to DiTondo, LaVorgna singled and scored on an RBI single by sophomore catcher Christopher Stanford (Quebec City, Quebec), O'Herron walked and later scored on an error, and Stanford ultimately scored on an error as well.

Four more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning created the 15-3 final, as the bench got in on the action. Sophomore John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) singled and scored on an RBI single by O'Herron, junior Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.) singled and later scored on a three-run, pinch-hit triple by sophomore Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.), which also drove in O'Herron and sophomore Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.), who had walked.

On the mound, Griffin threw 73 pitches (42 strikes) over just 3.1 innings and did not factor in the decision. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, walked one and struck out one. Junior right-hander Dylan Dennis (Wakefield, Mass.) followed with 3.2 scoreless, hitless innings, did not issue a walk and struck out four to pick up the win (1-0) out of the bullpen.

For Pace, senior left-hander Michael Forgione (2-1) started and tossed 63 pitches (40 strikes) over 4.1 innings. He was tagged for seven runs on seven hits, walked three, hit a batter and struck out one.

In the second game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) was hit by a pitch leading off and Brock was hit two pitches later as well. This put two men on for Jabs, who went the other way for a two-run double into the gap in left-center.

Pace evened the score at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the second. With two outs, Mayo was hit by a pitch in front of junior designated hitter Domenick Luongo, who followed with a two-run home run -- his first of the season -- of an estimated 375 feet to straightaway right.

Franklin Pierce plated four runs in the bottom of the fourth to open up a 6-2 lead. Stanford singled and scored on an RBI double by Sheehan before Brock walked to put two men on for Jabs again. This time, Jabs turned on the first pitch and lined a three-run home run -- his sixth of the season -- down the right field line. The drive banged off the eight-foot exterior fence at the adjacent Sodexo Field, which sits approximately 30 feet beyond the right-field fence, for a shot of an estimated 365 feet.

The Ravens tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to push the lead as high as 8-2. In the fifth, O'Herron led off with a double off the fence in right field and scored on an RBI single back through the middle by Hood. In the sixth, Jabs led off and unloaded on a 1-1 pitch for a towering home run to straightaway right. This time, his clout cleared the external fence at Sodexo Field and one-hopped onto the field itself for an estimated 385-foot home run.

Pace kept things interesting with four runs in the top of the seventh to close the gap to 8-6. Sophomore shortstop Paul Piccolino singled and later scored on an RBI double by Luongo, Mayo singled and scored on an RBI single by Kukura, Luongo later scored on a single by senior second baseman Andrew Coffey, and Kukura came around to score on an RBI groundout by Capaldi.

The Setters added another run in the top of the eighth to close within a run at 8-7. Batting against junior right-hander Sam Steeves (Dorchester, Mass.) with one out and nobody on, Mayo hit a towering fly ball deep to left field. White, who wound up playing left field in the second game, ranged all the way back and climbed the fence in an attempt to snare the ball, but it landed just beyond his reach. The ball settled just outside the confines of Pappas Field for Mayo's first homer of the season, a solo home run of an estimated 350 feet.

The Ravens picked up a final insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to create the 9-7 final. Sheehan worked a seven-pitch walk leading off and moved to second on a six-pitch walk to Brock. After a double steal put runners at second and third, LaVorgna took the eighth pitch of his at-bat back up the middle for an RBI single to score Sheehan. Brock rounded third and attempted to score on the play as well, but was thrown out at the plate by Kukura.

Making his first collegiate start, freshman right-hander Zach Hart (Wallingford, Conn.) threw 88 pitches (59 strikes) over the first 6.1 innings on the hill for Franklin Pierce. He was ultimately charged with six runs on seven hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out seven to pick up the win (1-0). Freshman right-hander Tony Sylvester (Pepperell, Mass.) came on with no outs in the ninth and retired all three batters he faced, including two strikeouts, to nail down his first collegiate save.

On the other side of the ledger, sophomore right-hander Ryan Aquino (2-1) tossed 82 pitches (50 strikes) over five innings on the hill for Pace. He surrendered seven runs on eight hits, walked one, hit six batters, threw a wild pitch and struck out two while taking the loss.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 13, when they remain home to host intrastate rival Southern New Hampshire in a Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division contest with postseason seeding implications. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Pappas Field.

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).