MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Felician College baseball team took on two of the top three schools in the NCAA Division II East Region on Friday afternoon, with mixed results. After dropping a 7-0 decision to Franklin Pierce University, the Golden Falcons rebounded for a 6-4 win against Southern New Hampshire University during the Northeast Challenge, held at the Ripken Experience complex.

In its late game on Friday, the Golden Falcons (1-2) ended an 18-inning scoreless drought to start the season by breaking out for three first-inning runs. Sophomore third-baseman Scott De Jong (North Haledon, N.J.) was 3 for 4 with a double, home run, and three runs batted in, while senior catcher Jay Collazo (Wall, N.J.) had two hits and two RBI.

Junior right-hander Matthew Facendo (Hazlet, N.J.) finished the game with two perfect innings and was credited with a save. He earned the ninth save of his career, tying the Felician all-time record held by Chris Purguy (2002-05). Facendo worked in relief of junior lefty Jack Fowler (Shrewsbury, N.J.) (1-0). Fowler tossed seven effective frames, giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits. He struck out five batters and walked none.

De Jong hit a solo homer in the first inning and a RBI double in the third to power Felician to a 5-1 edge after three. Southern New Hampshire (1-1) took advantage of two Golden Falcon errors to plate three fourth-inning runs, but Fowler retired 10 of his final 11 hitters before giving way to Facendo. De Jong's RBI single in the fifth completed the game's scoring.

Aaron Brill (West Palm Beach, Fla.) had a triple and Joe Petosa (Spotswood, N.J.) a pair of hits for the Golden Falcons, the designated home team. Manny Cruz (Wolcott, Conn.) and Anthony Aceto (North Providence, R.I.) each had two hits and drove in a run for the Penmen. SNHU is the No. 3 team in the East Region preseason writers poll and received votes nationally.

Felician began its day by facing the region's top team, Franklin Pierce, and being limited to five hits for the second consecutive contest. The Ravens, ranked No. 7 in the Division II national writers poll, broke open a 1-0 game with two runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth.

Golden Falcon starting pitcher John Holland (Jackson, N.J.) was tagged with the loss despite striking out six batters in three innings. Brill was 2 for 3 for Felician, which stranded nine baserunners. FPU senior righty Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) (1-0) yielded three hits over six innings for the victory.

Raven leadoff man Calvin Graves was 3 for 5 with a triple and two runs scored. Catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) had two hits and drove in a pair of runs.