Box score (Game 1)
Box score (Game 2)

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (March 4, 2018) – In the first game of a Sunday-afternoon doubleheader, the Franklin Pierce University baseball team took out some of Saturday's frustrations against Adelphi. The Ravens struck early and often, as they plated five runs in the first three innings on the way to a 10-3 win in non-conference play. In the back half of the twinbill, the offense dried up for both sides. The scheduled seven-inning affair wound up going nine frames, and still nothing was decided, as the game ended in a 2-2 tie after darkness descended on Bonomo Field.

With the win and the tie, Franklin Pierce now stands at 5-2-1 on the year, while Adelphi moves to 1-1-1. The two teams split the three-game weekend series right down the middle, with one win apiece to go with the tie. For Franklin Pierce, it marked the first tie game since a 1-1 draw at Saint Anselm on March 28, 2012.

In the first game, Franklin Pierce opened the proceedings loudly, with a three-spot in the top of the first. With one out, senior right fielder Adam Chase (Bridgewater, Mass.) took a walk, and then senior second baseman John Friday (Southborough, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, junior first baseman Jonel Ozuna (New York, N.Y.) authored the inning's keynote address, as he clubbed a three-run home run, his third long ball of the season.

Adelphi answered with a run in the home half of the first. Senior second baseman Steven Withers opened the frame with a single to right-center, and moved to second as junior third baseman Lucas Terwilliger followed with a single to left. After a double steal put runners at second and third, junior designated hitter Michael Cattani cashed in Withers with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Franklin Pierce added single runs in the second and third innings to push the lead out to 5-1. In the second, sophomore shortstop James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.) singled to left with one out, moved to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a flyout and scored on an RBI single poked inside the left-field line by junior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.). In the third, senior catcher Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch with one out, moved around to third on a double down the right-field line by Ozuna and scored on an RBI single to center field by senior third baseman Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.).

The Ravens pretty much put the game on ice with five more in the top of the fifth to break the game open at 10-1. Sophomore center fielder Jack Duffy (Stratford, Conn.) had the biggest blow of the inning, with a two-run single to right field, while Boria and graduate student designated hitter Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass.) drove in runs in the inning as well.

Adelphi scratched out unearned runs in the sixth and ninth innings to create the 10-3 final. In the sixth, junior first baseman Brandon Morse reached on an error, moved to second on a passed ball and later scored on an RBI double to center by senior catcher Tyler Warshefskie. In the ninth, senior shortstop Jack Thorsen reached on an error, advanced on a passed ball and scored on another error.

Junior left-hander Evan Glew (North Andover, Mass.) started on the mound and threw 90 pitches (55 strikes) over the first six innings for Franklin Pierce. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, walked three, hit a batter and struck out six to notch his first win as a Raven (1-0).

For Adelphi, junior Daniel Taggart (0-1) took the ball but did not get out of the third inning, as he needed 52 pitches (34 strikes) to record just seven outs. Over 2.1 innings, he surrendered five runs (four earned) on five hits, walked one, hit two batters, balked once and struck out one while taking the loss.

In the second game, Adelphi jumped out front with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Junior first baseman Thomas Colombo cracked a one-out triple to center field to get things started, and scored when Morse followed with an RBI single back through the middle of the infield. Morse moved to second on a balk, went to third on a groundout and scored from there on a single to right by Terwilliger.

Franklin Pierce answered immediately, with two runs of its own in the top of the fifth. Tower singled to left leading off, moved to second on a single to center by Coggeshall, stole third and scored on a single to left by Boria. Coggeshall went first-to-third on the single, though Boria was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. Coggeshall came home to score on a two-out RBI single back through the middle by Roberto, who would ultimately be stranded at second base to end the inning.

Things dried up from there offensively, as Franklin Pierce would not put another runner in scoring position the rest of the way. Adelphi loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning, but left them all out there, as Morse bounced out to end the frame. Outside of the eighth, the Panthers generated zero other baserunners after scoring twice in the fourth.

Junior right-hander Zach Hart (Wallingford, Conn.) toed the rubber to start the second game for the Ravens and threw 91 pitches (58 strikes) over seven innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked one, balked once and struck out five. Junior right-hander Anthony Matarazzo (Medford, Mass.) worked himself into and out of trouble around two walks and an error in the eighth, but otherwise did not allow a hit over two shutout innings the rest of the way.

Senior hurler Michael Tarpey took the hill for Adelphi and logged 68 pitches (45 strikes) over 4.2 innings of work. He was charged with both runs on six hits, with one strikeout. Senior David Butler did the heavy lifting out of the bullpen for the Panthers, as he fired 3.1 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts against one walk and two hits.

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, March 9, when they open a seven-game trip to North Carolina. Franklin Pierce will face defending East Region champ St. Thomas Aquinas at 5 p.m. at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

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).