Surgen leads all players with four hits in the doubleheader

Boxscore Game One
Boxscore Game Two

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 15, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University earned a split with in-state rival Saint Anselm College in a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader at the South Athletic Field on Tuesday afternoon. The Ravens came back late to earn a 5-3 win in the opening game before Saint Anselm took a 3-2 decision in the late game.

Senior captain Kate Surgen (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) had four hits in six at-bats and scored a run to lead the Ravens. Sophomore Kristen Tracy (Putnam Valley, N.Y./ Walter Panas) went 3-for-5 with a home run and freshman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) also had three hits, including a double, and drove in a run in eight plate appearances.

Junior Brittany Birch (Bradford, Mass./Haverhill) had three hits, including a triple, and drove in a run for Saint Anselm, while freshman Jaclyn Giannino (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored


Franklin Pierce 5, Saint Anselm 3 (Game One)

Franklin Pierce jumped out an early lead in the first game, but needed a three-run rally in the top of the sixth inning to take down Saint Anselm, 5-3.

Surgen and junior Jackie Prybella (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) each had two hits for Franklin Pierce in game one, while Tracy drew a walk and also smacked her second home run in as many games.

Freshman Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) pitched well for Franklin Pierce, giving up three runs in earning her third win of the season (3-8). The righthander gave up six hits and struck out three in a complete-game effort. Sophomore Katie Corey (Weymouth, Mass./ Weymouth) took the loss for the Hawks, giving up five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in seven innings of work.

Tracy led off the decisive sixth inning with a home run to left center, knotting the game at three. A single by Surgen and a double by sophomore Kiley Molinari (Meriden, Conn./ Maloney) put two runners in scoring position with no outs, and an RBI groundout by freshman Kelsey Dumont (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) scored Surgen with the go-ahead run. Freshman Erin Clark (Fort Ann, N.Y./Fort Ann) followed with a key two-out, pinch-hit single to score Molinari with an insurance run.

The Ravens came out quickly with a pair of runs in the first inning thanks to some good baserunning. Griffin led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to third after a single by junior Elaine Matthews (Roslindale, Mass./Archbishop Williams) before racing home on a passed ball. Matthews then made a good play by scoring from third on a stolen base attempt by Tracy, increasing the lead to 2-0.

Saint Anselm scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning. Johnson retired the first two batters before giving up a pair of singles, and sophomore Moira McCabe (Brookline, N.H./ Bishop Guertin) followed with a two-run triple to right that scored a pair. An RBI single by Kayla McEachern (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) then gave the Hawks a 3-2 lead after four innings.


Saint Anselm 4, Franklin Pierce 2 (Game Two)

Saint Anselm came back to take the second game, scoring once in the first and taking a 4-0 lead through four innings and holding off the Ravens for a 4-2 win.

Freshman Liz LeBrun (Rowley, Mass./Triton Regional) led all players with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, driving in one run. Birch and junior Katherine Theodorou (Glen Cove, N.Y./St. Mary’s) each had two hits with an RBI and a run scored for the Hawks as well. For Franklin Pierce, Griffin drove in the team’s only run with one of her two hits while Tracy and Surgen each had two hits as well.

Saint Anselm scored its first run two batters into the first inning, as Birch began the Hawks’ first with a triple and scored on a single by Theodorou. Theodorou then scored a run in the bottom of the third inning, leading off with a single and eventually scoring on an RBI double by LeBrun.

Down by four in the seventh inning, Franklin Pierce got a pair of runs but could not get any closer. Junior Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) began the inning with a triple and scored when Clark reached via an error. Griffin doubled with two outs to score Clark, but Prybella grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

Sophomore Megan Lemire (Worcester, Mass./St. Peter Marian) earned the win for Saint Anselm, ceding only two unearned runs on seven hits in seven innings. Freshman Caitlin Beagan (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) got the start for Franklin Pierce and gave up four runs on eight hits in three-plus innings (0-4), while junior Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) pitched three innings of relief without being charged with a run.

Franklin Pierce (4-24, 3-11 NE-10) will play a pair against Merrimack College tomorrow beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Lassie League Field in Leominster, Mass. Saint Anselm (12-10, 6-6 NE-10) travels to Saint Michael’s College tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.