MANCHESTER, N.H. (4/16/23) - The Franklin Pierce baseball team earned the split against the Saint Anselm College Hawks on Sunday afternoon, piling on an impressive 16 runs on 18 hits to claim a 16-9 win over their inter-state rival in Northeast-10 conference play.

With the road victory, the Ravens improve to 22-11 (9-3 NE10) on the campaign. The Hawks drop to 9-25 (5-7 NE-10) with the loss.

The Hawks got off to a fast start, stacking up four runs in the bottom of the first inning. A pair of RBI singles towards right-center field by Mike Borrelli and Ryan Scialabba gave the Hawks an early 2-0 lead, before Will Panarello added on another two-RBI with a scoring double toward left-center, making it a 4-0 game. However, the Ravens began to claw back in the top of the second when senior Joseph Pesce (Lake Mary, Fla.) and graduate Brian Hadden (Newburyport, Mass.) each singled to lead off the inning. To follow, first-year outfielder Joey Acker (Upton, Mass.) connected for a double to left-center to plate Pesce, additionally moving Hadden to third to make it a 4-1 Hawks lead. Connor Smalley (West Sayville, N.Y.) then grounded out to the shortstop to drive in Hadden, cutting the deficit in half with the Ravens trailing the hosts 4-2.

Shortly after a scoreless third, Joey Acker provided the spark once again for Pierce in the top of the fourth. With Brian Hadden on first after a leadoff walk, Acker unleashed a two-run homer over the left field fence for the first of his collegiate career, tying the score at 4-all.

Despite the offensive effort, the Raven defense failed to contain the Hawks lineup in the bottom half of the fourth inning. A trio of solo homers from Matt Collins, Brady Doran, and Mike Borrelli gave Saint Anselm a sudden 7-4 lead, warranting a swap on the mound with Ryan Mueller (Lynbrook, N.Y.) entering to relieve starter Danny Gracia (Wilmington, Mass.). However, upon loading up the bases with 2 outs, another change was made with Stephen Bangs (Stoughton, Mass.) relieving Mueller.

Trailing by three runs, the Raven bats would resurrect in the top of the fifth, tying the game up at 7-7 with three runs scored. With the bases loaded as the result of a leadoff walk and two singles, freshman Adam Dadinos (East Hartford, Conn.) would make his way home on a wild pitch, advancing the other pair of runners further into scoring position. Junior Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) continued the two-out rally with an RBI single up the middle, scoring the runner from third. The hitting streak would then stretch to three in a row, as senior Joel Lara (Boston, Mass.) also singled up the middle, then advanced to second on a off-target throw to score the tying RBI.

The run scoring frenzy continued in the bottom of the half of the fifth, as new pitcher Sean Yoest (Foxborough, Mass.) relieved Bangs and inherited two Hawks base runners. As a result, Brady Doran took advantage and matched the Raven success, ripping a scoring single to center field to score plate runners, restoring a two-run lead for the home team, 9-7.

From that point onward, it would be all Franklin Pierce. The Ravens quickly got back to work in the top of the sixth inning with two runners on and two outs, bringing Joey Acker back up to bat. His dominance at the plate continued, as he connected for a double down the right field line, securing two RBI in the process to knot up the score once again. Acker would then receive a free pass to third on a wild pitch, and then another home by the same standards, putting the lead back in Pierce's hands at 10-9.  

After hitting a batter with one out, Esteban Rivera III (Hamden, Conn.) came in relief of Sean Yoest. Rivera III retired two straight batters to end the inning.

The Ravens added on to their lead in the top of the seventh, again taking advantage of loaded bases. A sacrifice ground-out to second by Adam Dadinos would score Joel Lara while advancing Jose Savinon to second and Max Gebauer to third. After a pop out by Joe Pesce, Brian Hadden made contact for a base hit, bringing home both runners to make it a 13-9 Ravens.

The Pierce lead would be padded even more in the eight, as Ian Battipaglia walked then stole second base. He then advanced to third after Joel Lara fouled out to left, setting up Max Gebauer for the RBI single to right, bringing the lead up to 14-9.

Two final runs would make it home for the Ravens, including a solo home run by Joseph Pesce, wrapping up the busy day at 16-9.

Sean Yoest earned the win for the Ravens (1-0) after 1.1 innings pitched, allowing no runs on one opponent hit and 1 strikeout. Hunter Harris suffered the loss (0-4), allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits and pitching an inning. In the late stages of the action, Esteban Rivera Rivera III finished the job allowing just one base runner in the bottom of the ninth, recording the save for the Ravens with three strikeouts and one walk.

The Ravens return home on Friday afternoon (4/21) to begin a 4-game series against Assumption University, with first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. at Pappas Field.