Recap by student-staff writer Rich Rosa 

RINDGE, N.H (4/7/2024) – Following a list of delays and a change of venue, the Franklin Pierce University baseball team grabbed a pair of wins over Saint Anselm College during Sunday's Northeast-10 doubleheader.

Score (Game 1): Franklin Pierce 4, St. Anselm 1
Score (Game 2): Franklin Pierce 9, St. Anselm 4 
Records: Franklin Pierce (13-9, 7-2 NE-10), St. Anselm (9-16, 3-6 NE-10)  
Location: Rindge, N.H (Pappas Field)  
Date: Sunday, April 7, 2024  

HOW IT HAPPENED:  
• In Game 1 of the doubleheader, Franklin Pierce scored two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead over St. Anselm. Junior transfer infielder Kiobel Lugo (Boston, MA) had an RBI double, scoring graduate infielder Ian Battipaglia (Cheshire, CT). Then, senior outfielder Hunter Wilichoski (Hamilton, MA) reached first on a throwing error by sophomore third baseman Ben Rose. Wilichoski advanced to second base on the error, and Lugo scored all the way from second. 

• In the bottom of the fifth, senior first baseman Aidan Dow singled up the middle, scoring freshman infielder Mavrick Bourdeau to cut the Ravens lead in half. 

• In the top of the seventh, senior infielder Connor Smalley (West Sayville, NY) and graduate outfielder Eli Battipaglia (Cheshire, CT) hit solo home runs to give the Ravens a 4-1 cushion and held off a late surge by St. Anselm to take game one of the three-game series. 

• In Game 2, the Ravens took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when sophomore transfer first baseman Nolan DeAndrade (Bridgewater, MA) homered to center field for his third home run of the season. In the top of the fourth, Lugo had a 3 RBI double to give Franklin Pierce a 4-0 lead. 

• In the bottom of the fourth, freshman infielder Declan Ryan singled to third base and Bourdeau scored for the Hawks on an error to cut the Ravens lead to three. DeAndrade scored his second run of the game to give the Ravens a 5-1 lead. In the bottom of the fifth, Bourdeau drew a walk, scoring senior Zack Clough to make it 5-2. Then, senior catcher Nolan Elmore scored from third base on a wild pitch to cut the Ravens lead to two. 

• In the top of the sixth, DeAndrade got his third hit of the game. He singled to left field, scoring Wilichoski and Lugo to make it 7-3 Ravens. In the bottom of the sixth, junior infielder Daniel Scolaro homered for the first time this season to cut the Ravens lead to three. The Ravens added two more runs when Eli Battipaglia scored on a wild pitch, and Smalley had an RBI single, scoring Lugo. The Ravens held on to sweep the afternoon doubleheader and beat the Hawks 9-4. 

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS:  

• In Game 1, senior pitcher Kyle Roche (Braintree, MA) started on the mound for the seventh time this season and picked up his fifth win. He pitched seven innings, and gave up three hits, one run, four walks, and struck out ten batters. Junior relief pitcher Stephen Bangs (Stoughton, MA) closed out the game and pitched two scoreless innings, and gave up no hits, two walks, and struck out three batters. 

• Franklin Pierce outhit St. Anselm 7-3 in game one. The Hawks had two errors and stranded seven batters. 

• Eli Battipaglia went two for five with an RBI and scored a run. 

• In Game 2, sophomore pitcher Drew DeLucia (Medway, MA) got the start, picked up his second win of the season, and pitched 4.1 innings. He gave up five hits, two runs, two walks, and struck out six batters. Senior pitcher Tyler McDonald (Haverhill, MA) came in relief and pitched 2.2 innings, and gave up one hit, one run, three walks, and struck out one batter. Freshman pitcher Niklas Pavia (Bolton, MA) and Esteban Rivera III (Hamden, CT) pitched an inning and combined for five strikeouts. 

• Both teams had seven hits in game two. The Ravens had one error and left 14 batters stranded. 

• DeAndrade went three for three, scored two runs, drew two walks, and had three RBIs. Smalley went two for five, scored a run, and had two RBIs. 

NEXT FOR THE RAVENS:  The three-game series will conclude Monday, Monday, April 8th with the first pitch at 4 p.m.