RINDGE, N.H. (May 23, 2016) – Homerless on the season so far as he came to the plate with one on and one out in a 3-3 game in the bottom of the seventh on Monday afternoon, senior center fielder Maxx Sheehan (San Jose, Calif.) turned on the first pitch he saw from junior right-hander Ben Criscuolo and drove a two-run homer inside the left-field line at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. His first home run of the season touched off a celebration in front of the dugout for the No. 1/3 nationally ranked, top seed and host Franklin Pierce University baseball team, which went ahead to stay in the winner-take-all title game of the NCAA Championship East Regional. Senior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) added a solo shot in the eighth as the Ravens went on to a 6-3 win over second seed and No. 4/8 Southern New Hampshire.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 48-7 and captures the seventh NCAA Regional title in program history (2013, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003). With the loss, SNHU sees its fifth NCAA Championship appearance come to a close and its season end at 50-6, establishing a new program record for wins (43-15 in 2012).

Franklin Pierce will open its seventh NCAA Championship National Finals appearance on Sunday, May 29, at 3 p.m., at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The Ravens will square off with South Region champion and No. 12/17 Nova Southeastern. The Sharks also needed a winner-take-all contest after entering Monday undefeated in their tournament, but prevailed against Delta State, 3-1, at UT Baseball Field in Tampa, Fla. Sunday will mark the first meeting between Franklin Pierce and Nova Southeastern since 2013. The two teams have never met in postseason play.

With the decisive game of the East Regional stuck on a decidedly-indecisive 3-3 tie heading into the final three innings, Franklin Pierce struck for the regional crown with two runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth, utilizing the long ball both times.

In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore catcher Stephen Octave (New Windsor, N.Y.) led off with a six-pitch at-bat which he capped with a single back through the middle of the infield. After a sacrifice bunt moved Octave to second, Sheehan came to the plate for what would stand as the game's pivotal at-bat. Sheehan jumped on a first-pitch fastball from Criscuolo and sent the Ravens spilling out of the dugout in raucous celebration with a home run of an estimated 335 feet down the left-field line, his first of the season.

The home run would earn Sheehan the East Regional's Most Outstanding Player honors at the conclusion of play on Monday. He was joined on the East Regional All-Championship Team -- as selected by the assembled media -- by sophomore second baseman Kyle Hood (Arlington, Mass.), senior shortstop Justin Brock (Latham, N.Y.) and senior left fielder Kurtis White (Nahant, Mass.).

In the bottom of the eighth, graduate student right-hander Lucas Olen took over for Criscuolo and retired the first two batters he faced, but could not retire O'Herron as well. The big first baseman dropped the hammer on the sixth pitch of the at-bat and yanked the ball an estimated 345 feet down the left-field line for a solo home run, his fourth of the season.

The Sheehan home run would ultimately make a winner out of sophomore right-hander John Amendola (Wallingford, Conn.), who spun seven quality innings on 112 pitches (80 strikes) in the title game for the Ravens. He allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits, walked three and struck out a career-high 10 on the way to the win (7-1). Sophomore left-hander Adam Goss (Waterford, Conn.) struck out SNHU junior first baseman Derek Bauer to open the eighth, and then freshman right-hander Tanner Putnam (New Boston, N.H.) allowed just one hit while recording the final five outs, including four strikeouts, to notch his second save of the season.

On the other side of the ledger, sophomore right-hander Ivon Clough started and threw 29 pitches (17 strikes) over two hitless innings to start things off for SNHU. He uncorked two wild pitches, struck out three and did not factor in the decision. Criscuolo (8-1) worked 4.2 innings and threw 60 pitches (38 strikes), just one day after throwing six innings and 82 pitches against Bridgeport, and would take the loss. He allowed three runs on five hits, did not issue a walk, hit a batter and did not record a strikeout.

Earlier in the afternoon, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the title game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Hood worked a seven-pitch walk with one out and moved to second on a first-pitch single to right-center by Sheehan, before a single through the right side of the infield by Brock loaded the bases for junior third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.). Jabs hit the fourth pitch of his at-bat back up the middle and nearly had an RBI single, but the ground ball was flagged down on a dive by SNHU junior shortstop Manny Cruz behind the bag at second. Cruz flipped with his glove to graduate student second baseman Mike Mastroberti for the first out, and the latter fired it on to first. It was a bang-bang play at first, with first-base umpire David Speranza ultimately signaling "safe", much to the chagrin of the Penmen dugout. The call left Jabs with an RBI fielder's choice, as Hood came home to score. Senior designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) followed with an RBI infield single to third base to drive home Sheehan.

The call at first base would ultimately lead to the ejection of SNHU first-base coach Tommy Chase, who had words for Speranza after returning to the coaching box for the top of the fourth. The Penmen would then proceed to tie the game in the top of the fourth, with two runs of their own. Mastroberti worked a seven-pitch walk leading off and moved to second on an infield single by junior center fielder Carson Helms, before Bauer reached on a fielding error by Hood at second. The error allowed Mastroberti to come around to score and Helms to advance to third base. Helms would then score from there when sophomore designated hitter Matt Rabbito lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.

Franklin Pierce reclaimed the lead immediately, with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. White was hit by a pitch with two outs, stole second and scored on a double the other way and off the fence in right-center by Octave.

The Penmen would again tie the game, this time at 3-3 with a run in the top of the sixth, to ultimately set up Sheehan's heroics. With two outs and nobody on, Rabbito turned on an 0-2 pitch and drove a double beyond White's reach in left field. Rabbito then scored when freshman catcher Joshua Zbierski followed with a double of his own, the other way into the gap in right-center, to drive home the run.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).