2022 Baseball News
Baseball Trio Collect All-East Region Accolades
June 07, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (June 7, 2022) – A troika of sophomores from the Franklin Pierce University baseball team have all been tabbed as consensus All-East Region picks, as announced over the course of the spring. Shortstop Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.), second baseman Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and starting pitcher Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) were honored on multiple occasions.
Baseball Comes Up Just Short on Final Day of NCAA East Regional, Falls to No. 20/23 Molloy, 6-4
May 22, 2022
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 22, 2022) – When an NCAA baseball regional is pushed to its limit, the story is often written on the mound, with neither team having an easy route to 27 outs. Sunday was no different, as the sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce University baseball team locked horns with second seed, host and No. 20/23 nationally-ranked Molloy in the decisive game of the NCAA Championship East Regional. The gutsy pitching performances came early and they came often at Mitchel Athletic Complex. In the end, Molloy -- which came through the winners’ bracket -- had just a few more bullets left in the chamber, and posted a 6-4 victory over the Ravens, to advance to next week’s Super Regional.
Baseball Blanks No. 20/23 Molloy, 8-0, to Force Decisive Final Game at NCAA East Regional
May 21, 2022
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 21, 2022) – In its first game on Saturday, the lineup of the Franklin Pierce University baseball team needed to rally twice to avoid the end of its season at the NCAA Championship East Regional. In the second game of the day at Mitchel Athletic Complex, the pitching staff decided it was its turn, and never let host and No. 20/23 nationally-ranked Molloy in the ballgame. Three pitchers combined on a nine-hit shutout, as the sixth-seeded Ravens forced the regional to its limit with an 8-0 win over the second-seeded Lions.
Baseball Rallies Past Le Moyne, 11-4, to Extend Season at NCAA East Regional
May 21, 2022
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 21, 2022) – Twice on Saturday, the Franklin Pierce University baseball team trailed by a pair of runs. Twice, the sixth-seeded Ravens rallied with two-run home runs, before using a five-run eighth to seize control of an elimination game at the NCAA Championship East Regional for good. Graduate student Charles Lebron (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and junior Joel Lara (Boston, Mass.) both went yard, and senior Jake Ursillo (North Haledon, N.J.) closed the door again, as Franklin Pierce extended its season and advanced to the final round of the Molloy sub-regional site with an 11-4 win over seventh-seeded Le Moyne at Mitchel Athletic Complex.
Five-Run Sixth Sinks Baseball in 6-4 Loss to No. 20/23 Molloy at NCAA East Regional
May 20, 2022
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 20, 2022) – Five runs in the top of the sixth inning, including three with two outs, turned the tide on Friday afternoon at Mitchel Athletic Complex, on the second day of the NCAA Championship East Regional. The sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce University baseball team had staked itself to an early 3-0 lead over No. 20/23 nationally ranked, second seed and host Molloy in the winners’ bracket game, but ultimately suffered a 6-4 defeat.
Battipaglia Seventh-Inning Triple Lifts Baseball over Adelphi, 6-4, on first day of NCAA East Regional
May 19, 2022
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 19, 2022) – Sophomore Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) socked a three-run triple to break a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh on Thursday evening, and senior right-hander Jake Ursillo (North Haledon, N.J.) slammed the door with three innings of scoreless relief, as the sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce University baseball team opened the NCAA Championship East Regional with a 6-4 victory over third-seeded Adelphi. East Regional play is being hosted by Molloy, at Mitchel Athletic Complex.
PREVIEW: Baseball Set for 17th NCAA Championship Appearance
May 18, 2022
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May 18, 2022) – The Franklin Pierce University baseball team will open pursuit of its eighth regional title on Thursday afternoon, as NCAA Championship play opens. The first step on the path to the trophy is a four-team sub-regional at Mitchel Athletic Complex, featuring second seed and host Molloy, third-seeded Adelphi, the sixth-seeded Ravens, and seventh-seeded Le Moyne.
(UPDATED: 4 p.m. Monday) Baseball Slips into NCAA East Regional as Sixth Seed
May 15, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS (May 15, 2022) – It was a weekend of nervous waiting around for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team, after Tuesday’s first-round exit in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship left the Ravens scoreboard watching, with their NCAA fate in the balance. When the dust settled, enough things fell their way, and the program earned the 17th NCAA Championship bid in program history, as announced on Sunday night by the NCAA. The Ravens are the sixth seed in the East Regional, and will open play at their four-team, double-elimination sub-regional site on Thursday, May 19, against third-seeded Adelphi at 3 p.m. Molloy College will serve as host, at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y.
Baseball Has Six Pick up All-NE10 Accolades
May 12, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (May 12, 2022) -- It was six All-Northeast-10 Conference selections for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team, as the league announced its end-of-season awards on Wednesday afternoon. A trio of sophomores highlighted things for the Ravens, as second baseman Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.), shortstop Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) and right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) were all named to the All-NE10 First Team. Franklin Pierce has had at least one All-NE10 First Team selection every season since 2001, and has now had multiple First Team honorees in 19 of the 21 seasons during that stretch.
PREVIEW: Baseball Hosts Assumption in NE10 First Round
May 10, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (May 10, 2022) -- Postseason baseball returns to Rindge once again on Tuesday night, as the Franklin Pierce University baseball team plays host to Assumption in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship. The Northeast Division’s second seed, the Ravens will meet the third-seeded Greyhounds at 6 p.m. at Pappas Field.
First-Inning Error, Ice-Cold Bats Sink Baseball in NE10 First Round Pitcher’s Duel against Assumption, 2-0
May 10, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (May 10, 2022) -- Assumption junior right-hander Jack Choate stole the show on the road on Tuesday night in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship at Pappas Field. He went the distance on 131 pitches (90 strikes) and piled up 18 strikeouts to author a one-hit shutout, as the Greyhounds dealt the Franklin Pierce University baseball team a 2-0 loss. Sophomore right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) was no slouch on the other side for the Ravens, as he struck out nine over 8.1 strong innings of his own. Roche ceded only a pair of unearned runs, as a result of a first-inning throwing error by sophomore second baseman Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
Baseball Closes Regular Season with Doubleheader Sweep at Saint Michael’s, 13-0 and 12-9
May 07, 2022
COLCHESTER, Vt. (May 7, 2022) -- The bats were alive and well on Saturday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University baseball team wrapped up the regular season with a pair of double-digit run totals in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader sweep at Saint Michael’s. The Ravens hammered out 30 hits on the day, en route to wins of 13-0 and 12-9 at Doc Jacobs Field.
Baseball Posts Pair of Shutouts in Doubleheader Sweep at Saint Michael’s, 7-0 and 4-0
May 05, 2022
COLCHESTER, Vt. (May 5, 2022) -- Four pitchers combined to hang 16 consecutive zeros on Thursday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University baseball team did not yield a single run over the course of a doubleheader sweep of Saint Michael’s on the road at Doc Jacobs Field. In the first game, junior right-hander Jake Ursillo (North Haledon, N.J.) and sophomore right-hander James Draughn (Framingham, Mass.) combined to author a nine-hit shutout. In the second game, it was a seven-inning, six-hit shutout, courtesy of sophomore right-hander Kyle Roche (Braintree, Mass.) and junior right-hander Ryan Mueller (Lynbrook, N.Y.).
Baseball Routed by No. 11/13 SNHU in Weekend Finale, 20-6
May 01, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (May 1, 2022) -- It was all downhill after the Senior Day ceremony for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team on an otherwise resplendent Sunday afternoon at Pappas Field. Junior right-hander Danny Gracia (Wilmington, Mass.) left in the third inning with an apparent injury, and things got ugly from there in the weekend finale against No. 11/13 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire. It took nine Ravens pitchers a combined 216 pitches to get through the afternoon, as the Penmen sounded off for 19 hits on the way to a 20-6 win to take three out of four in the intrastate rivalry.
Baseball Splits High-Intensity Twinbill with No. 11/13 SNHU
April 30, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (April 30, 2022) -- Three games into the four-game weekend series between the intrastate rivals, and the Franklin Pierce University baseball team and No. 11/13 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire have yet to decide anything by more than one run. On Saturday night, the two sides split a pair of one-run, seven-inning contests in a nail-biter of a doubleheader at Pappas Field. In the first game, a third-inning single by junior Graham Smith (Wilmington, Mass.) put the Ravens out front and they held on the rest of the way for a 4-3 victory. In the nightcap, a bases-loaded walk to sophomore Cam Caraher in the top of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and delivered SNHU a 2-1 win.
Missed Opportunities Haunt Baseball in 3-2 Loss to No. 11/13 SNHU
April 29, 2022
RINDGE, N.H. (April 29, 2022) -- Friday night’s opener to the penultimate Northeast-10 Conference series of the season featured multiple opportunities for the Franklin Pierce University baseball team to grab a statement victory with No. 11/13 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire in town. The Ravens allowed the opportunities to go unanswered at Pappas Field though, as the team went just 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 men on base -- including seven in the sixth inning or later -- en route to a disappointing, 3-2 loss at the hands of the Penmen. A three-run home run from sophomore Nick Schwartz in the top of the seventh erased a 2-0 lead and flipped the game’s script, just moments after Franklin Pierce loaded the bases with one out and failed to score in the last of the sixth.