EASTON, Mass. (April 22, 2018) – Leading 4-1 heading for the bottom of the ninth inning, the Franklin Pierce University baseball team went into full-on meltdown mode at Lou Gorman Field on Sunday afternoon. Two walks, two hit batsmen, an error and a pair of base hits added up to a four-run last of the ninth for home-standing Stonehill, which siphoned away a 5-4 win in Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division play. A bases-loaded walk to junior designated hitter Patrick Downey forced home the winning run with two outs.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 23-11-1 (12-5 NE10, 7-4 NE Div.), while Stonehill improves to 13-18 (6-12 NE10, 5-8 NE Div.).

Staked to a three-run lead, graduate student right-hander Sam Steeves (Dorchester, Mass.) went back to the mound for his second inning of work in the bottom of the ninth, as the Ravens eyed a three-game weekend sweep of Stonehill. Things started innocently enough, and even in the Ravens favor, when a pinch-hit single to right by senior Justin Nicklas was followed by an inexplicable sacrifice bunt, as the Skyhawks willingly gave up the first out while trailing by three in the ninth.

However, it was all downhill from there for Franklin Pierce. A routine groundball straight to the second baseman should have been the second out, but sophomore J.R. DiSarcina (Barnstable, Mass.) misplayed it, leaving junior shortstop Matthew Rocco safe at first and runners at the corners. Steeves then hit senior center fielder Tyler Carey with a pitch to load the bases for the Stonehill three-hitter, junior first baseman Harrison Sabo. Sabo rifled the third pitch of his at-bat into left-center to score two runs and move Carey from first to third with the tying run.

The Skyhawks would not even need to put the ball in play to tie the game, as a wild pitch got the backstop to bring Carey home from third to level the game at 4-4. Another hit batter -- senior left fielder Alex Hurley this time -- put runners at first and second for junior second baseman William Kelleher, who lifted a fly ball into right field. With Sabo retreating to tag up at second, senior right fielder Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.) moved to line up the throw to third, but then lost the ball in the sun in the process. Tower recovered in time to get the ball back to the infield and force out Hurley at second for the second out.

Already 34 pitches into his outing out of the bullpen, Steeves appeared unnerved on the mound, by the combination of his own lack of command and the defensive adventures behind him. Be it nerves or otherwise, he would then issue back-to-back five-pitch walks to sophomore first baseman Rob Duarte and Downey to first load the bases and then force home the winning run.

In all, over 1.2 innings of work, Steeves (0-1) threw 44 pitches, only 24 of which went for strikes. He was charged with four runs (two earned) on two hits, walked two, hit two batters, threw a wild pitch and struck out one. Earlier in the day, senior right-hander Ryan Covelle (Medford, Mass.) made the start and threw 87 pitches (54 strikes) over 4.2 innings on the hill. He surrendered one unearned run on three hits, walked one, hit three batters and struck out six. Junior right-hander Anthony Matarazzo (Medford, Mass.) followed with 2.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief, with three walks and three strikeouts.

The ninth-inning rally made a winner out of sophomore right-hander Jeremiah Vargas (1-0), who recorded just one out on the afternoon. He came on with two outs and two on in the top of the ninth and issued a walk, but then stranded the bases full by striking out graduate student first baseman Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Vargas had taken over for sophomore right-hander Michael White, who fired 123 pitches (83 strikes) over 8.2 innings on the rubber. He allowed four runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out five, and did not factor in the decision after the ninth-inning heroics.

In all, Franklin Pierce left eight runners on base on the afternoon. What proved especially costly were the six runners left on, including four in scoring position, over the final three innings. The Ravens left a runner at third in the seventh, left runners at first and second in the eighth, and left the bases full in the ninth.

Earlier in the day, Stonehill opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases full on a single, a hit batter and a throwing error by Covelle, Sabo was hit by a pitch to force home the game's first run. In all, Franklin Pierce pitching walked six batters and hit five more on Sunday afternoon.

The Ravens struck for three in the sixth and one more in the seventh to jump to the 4-1 lead they could not hold. A pair of long balls did the damage in the sixth, as junior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.) drove a solo home run to right-center and senior catcher Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.) hit a moonshot of a two-run homer to straightaway center. It was Roberto's second home run of the season, while Octave launched his team-leading seventh.

In the seventh, Tower led off with a single to left and would eventually come home to score on a sacrifice fly to right by sophomore shortstop James Boria (Massapequa, N.Y.).

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 25, when they travel to Southern New Hampshire for an NE10, Northeast Division contest. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Penmen Field in Manchester, N.H.

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).