LYNDHURST, N.J. – Felician University sophomore Jason Polgano (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) starred on the mound and at the plate, earning his first career pitching victory as the Golden Falcons defeated visiting Franklin Pierce University, 4-0, in Game 1 of the teams' non-conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex. Franklin Pierce bounced back to take Game 2, 8-1, and win three out of four games in the teams' weekend series.

Franklin Pierce (12-1) is ranked in a tie for No. 3 in the most recent national NCAA Division II writers' poll, and is the East Region's top-ranked squad. The Ravens' Game 1 loss was their first setback of the season after 11 consecutive victories.

The left-handed Polgano (1-0) started the day's opening game as Felician's pitcher and designated hitter. Against an offense that had scored 95 runs in its first 11 contests, he pitched seven-plus shutout innings, giving up six hits – all singles – with five strikeouts and two walks. Offensively, Polgano went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs batted in, scored a run, and stole two bases.

Felician (5-13) captured the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Bruce Strickland (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) singled and advanced on a balk. Polgano singled up the middle, and Strickland beat the throw to the plate in a close play, putting the hosts ahead. With Matt Kleinstein (Marlboro, N.J./Colts Neck) at the plate, Polgano stole second base and moved on to third on a wild pitch before coming home on Kleinstein's single.

Franklin Pierce senior right-hander Tanner Bird (Adams, Mass./Hossac Valley) provided 3 1/3 innings of solid relief, allowing one hit with five strikeouts, and the score remained 2-0 into the eighth. The Ravens put their first two runners on base, and freshman Quinn Taylor (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) came on to relieve Polgano. Taylor immediately induced a double-play grounder, then got the next hitter to fly out.

The Golden Falcons tacked on two runs in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double from Andrew LaMura (Brick, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) and a Polgano single. Danny Naif (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) worked around a two-out walk to retire the Ravens in the top of the ninth. Chris Lavorgna (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) went 3 for 4 and stole two bases for FPU, which left 10 runners on base.

Game 2 was scheduled for seven innings, and the Ravens quickly broke out of their offensive doldrums, tallying three runs in each of the first two frames. The Felician bullpen held FPU off of the scoreboard again until the seventh, but Raven senior righty Paul Covelle (Medford, Mass./Malden Catholic) (3-0) went the distance on a five-hitter. He struck out six batters and walked one. Felician's only run came in the second inning, when LaMura scored from second on Polgano's groundout to deep first base.

Franklin Pierce stole 11 bases in the contest, including four each for Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass./St. Mary's) and Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y./Albany Academy). Brock and catcher Steven Octave (New Windsor, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) were each 2 for 4.

LaMura and Matt Diesel (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) were 2 for 3 for the Golden Falcons.