Recap by student-staff writer Jonah Boyea

RINDGE, N.H. (3/30/24) – The Franklin Pierce University baseball team swept Saturday's doubleheader with Bentley University. In the first game, the Ravens were firing from the mound and launching hits from the dish in a 15-0 shutout. Game two proved a bit closer but the Ravens prevailed with the 7-4 victory.

GAME 1: Score: Franklin Pierce 15, Bentley 0 
Records: Franklin Pierce (10-9, 4-2 NE10), Bentley (16-7, 2-1 NE10) 
Location: Pappas Field, Rindge, N.H. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:  

• With two outs in the top of the first, Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) doubled to center field that set up Kiobel Lugo (Boston, Mass.) with a runner in scoring position which he took advantage of as he singled and sent Battipaglia home, 1-0. After a Devin Kulas (Southington, Conn.) walk, Hunter Wilochoski (Hamilton, Mass.) tripled to centerfield bringing in two more runs extending the Raven lead to 3-0. 
• The Ravens continued to put the pressure on the Falcons. After a Brycen Tetler (Plymouth, Mass.) single, and a Joey Aker (Upton, Mass.) walk, Ian Battipaglia came up once again and doubled adding another run for the Ravens, 4-0. Kiobel Lugo would then reach on an error from the third baseman which scored Aker, extending the lead to 5-0.  
• The Ravens continued the offensive attack in the third with Conor Smalley (West Sayville, N.Y) joining the party, singling in a run which was followed by an Eli Battipaglia (Cheshire, Conn.) two-run homer making the lead 8-0.  
• The Ravens would add two more runs in the fourth courtesy of Kiobel Lugo who hit his first homer as Raven giving the Ravens a comfortable 10-0 lead.  
• The biggest blow for the Falcons came in the fifth when Ian Battipaglia came up to bat with the bases loaded and promptly unloaded them with a towering grand slam to right field to grow the lead to 14-0.  
• The Ravens again loaded the bases in the sixth and Ian Battipaglia walked in a run, making it 15-0, and Raven pitching held the Falcons scoreless for the rest of the game.  

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS: 

• Drew DeLucia (Medway, Mass.) (W, 1-1) got the start for the Ravens and put up a stellar performance pitching 8 innings of 2 hit ball and striking out a season-high 11 batters with Tyler McDonald pitching the final frame for the Ravens. For the Falcons Matt Tyman (L, 1-2) gets credited for the loss after giving up 8 earned runs through 3 innings on the mound. 
• Ravens tallied 13 hits to the Falcons 2 
• The Ravens left 8 runners on base to the Falcons 4 runners. 
• Both teams committed 2 errors.  

GAME TWO 
After a strong outing from both Raven pitching and hitting, the Ravens looked to continue that momentum into game two which they were able to do behind the bat of Kiobel Lugo who drove in 5 runs in their 7-4 victory.  

Score: Franklin Pierce 7, Bentley 4 
Records: Franklin Pierce (11-9, 5-2 NE10), Pace (16-8, 2-2 NE10) 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• After a one out walk to Joey Aker, Kiobel Lugo stayed red hot and hit two-run homer to centerfield giving the Ravens an early 2-0 lead.  
• The Falcons were able to get a run when Tyler Gonzalez grounded out to bring in a run making it 2-1. 
• The Ravens answered with a bang in the bottom of the third when Lugo once again hit a three-run homer, his second of the game, to extend the lead to 5-1.  
• The Falcons were able to score runs in the fourth and seventh inning after a Corey Bright homer in the fourth and Tommy Bolton doubled to bring in another making it 5-3.  
• Then in the eighth, Eli Battipaglia doubled in two more runs to pull the Ravens ahead 7-3.  
• The Falcons got one more run late in the ninth on a Nick Pappas home run, but the Ravens secured the win 7-4.  

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS: 

• Esteban Rivera III (Hamden, Conn.) (W, 1-2) pitched 6 strong innings allowing 6 hits and 3 runs while striking out 5. Stephen Bangs (Stoughton, Mass.) and Nikolas Pavia (Bolton, Mass.) came in relief and secured the win for the Ravens. Pat Heber (L, 2-2) got the loss after allowing 5 hits and 5 runs in his 5 innings of work, also striking out 6 batters.  
• The Ravens had 7 hits to the Falcons 9. 
• The Falcons left 10 runners on base while the Ravens left 7 runners on base.  
• Each team committed 1 error.  

NEXT FOR THE RAVENS: 

• The Ravens return home for a mid-week matchup with the Purple Knights of Saint Michael's College on Wednesday, April 3^rd with first pitch at 3 pm.