MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 24, 2017) – Junior right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.) made his return from Tommy John surgery on Friday afternoon and struck out both batters he faced to stamp out a ninth-inning rally and preserve a 6-5 win for the No. 7/12 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team in the front end of a non-conference, neutral-site doubleheader against Queens (N.Y.) at The Ripken Experience. In the second game, Queens used two runs in the third and three more in the fourth to pick up a 5-3 win and force the doubleheader split.

With the split, Franklin Pierce moves to 1-2 on the young season, while Queens now stands at 1-2 as well.

In the first game, Franklin Pierce -- playing as the visiting team -- opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Junior first baseman Dalton Davis (Birmingham, Ala.) led off with a walk before back-to-back singles by senior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) and freshman left fielder Richard DiMartino (Yonkers, N.Y.) loaded the bases with nobody out. An error by the pitcher allowed junior catcher Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.) to reach, while Davis came in to score the first run of the game. Three batters later, junior center fielder Tim Going (Islip, N.Y.) cashed in a two-run single to make it a 3-0 game.

Queens got one run back in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1. With one out, freshman third baseman Louis Antos reached on an error, moved to second on a passed ball and later scored on an RBI single by junior designated hitter Joseph Pidoto.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead as high as 6-1 with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh. In the sixth, senior right fielder Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and later scored on an errant throw after he stole third base as part of a double steal. In the seventh, Going singled and scored on an RBI triple by senior shortstop Lucas Luopa (Keene, N.H.), who would later score on a passed ball.

Things got dicey for the Ravens in the last of the ninth, as Queens pushed across four runs and got the tying run to third base before Lundin slammed the door. Junior catcher Billy Riches led off with a single. A pair of walks, sandwiched around an error by Tower in right, forced home Riches and left the bases loaded with still nobody out. Junior right fielder Karl Klesin bounced into a fielder's choice for the first out, which saw a runner erased at the plate, but the bases remained loaded. It was Antos who did the biggest damage of the inning, cashing in all three runs with a triple to pull the Knights within a run. Franklin Pierce then went to Lundin, with the tying run at third and one out, and he proceeded to strike out sophomore center fielder Andrew Navarez and Pidoto to finish things off and earn his first save of the season.

Graduate student right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass.) started and threw the first seven innings to pick up the win (1-0) on the mound for Franklin Pierce. He allowed just one unearned run on three hits, did not issue a walk and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts.

Freshman right-hander Dylan Hughes (0-1) suffered the loss for Queens, while throwing the first five innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits, walked one and struck out four.

In the second game, a seven-inning affair, Franklin Pierce -- playing as the home team -- opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Luopa led off the frame with a double. He would later steal third and score on the play, via a throwing error.

Queens took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. The top of the order got things started with two outs, as junior center fielder Paulino Harrington and Antos -- now the designated hitter -- worked back-to-back walks. Senior shortstop Kevin Kolesar and junior first baseman Jonathan Temenak followed with back-to-back RBI singles to put the Knights out front.

Queens stretched the lead to 5-1 with a trio of runs in the top of the fourth. Junior left fielder Thomas Parish led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior right fielder Joe Morris followed with a walk, which spelled the end of the day for Franklin Pierce junior right-hander Dylan Dennis (Wakefield, Mass.). He gave way to junior right-hander Ryan Covelle (Medford, Mass.), who immediately surrendered an RBI single to senior catcher Ryan Bender and walked Harrington to load the bases. Antos then reached on a fielder's choice to drive home Morris, before Kolesar knocked his second RBI single in as many innings.

Franklin Pierce scratched out a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to create the 5-3 final. Junior right fielder Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.) worked a walk leading off and moved to second on a balk. He would later score on an RBI triple by Going, who would later score on a balk.

Dennis (0-1) started and lasted just 3.1 innings on the hill for Franklin Pierce. He was charged with four runs on three hits, walked four and struck out five.

Sophomore left-hander Robert Amato (1-0) threw the first five innings to pick up the win for Queens. He allowed three runs on four hits, walked three, balked twice and struck out three. Freshman right-hander Rob Backus threw scoreless, hitless ball over the final two innings, hit one batter and struck out another to notch his first career save.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Feb. 25, when they remain in Myrtle Beach to take on Wilmington (Del.). First pitch is set for 10:30 a.m. at The Ripken Experience.

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).