Franklin Pierce Drops Two Games to Begin Season
Ravens fall, 14-4, to Doane and lose 7-3 to Nichols during rain and snow-soaked first day of Tuscon Invitational Games
Boxscore vs.
Doane
Boxscore vs.
Nichols
Jackie Prybella hit 2-for-2 and
drove in two runs on Sunday against Doane.
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TUCSON, Ariz. (March 16,
2008) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team
dropped a pair of games on its first day of the Tucson Invitational
Games on Sunday evening at Lincoln Park. The Ravens fell to Doane
College, 14-4, in the team’s season-opener and then lost a
7-3 decision to Nichols College in their second matchup of the
evening.
Franklin Pierce 14, Doane 4 (five innings)
In the Ravens’ 2008 season opener, Doane scored six runs in
the top of the first inning and scored at least once in every
inning as the Tigers cruised to a 14-4 victory over Franklin Pierce
at Lincoln Park.
Franklin Pierce committed four errors in the first frame, allowing
the Tigers to score six times (four unearned) off junior
righthander Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg,
Mass./Fitchburg). In all, the Ravens committed six errors
on the night, resulting in six unearned runs to cross the
plate.
Jacobs (0-1) took the loss for Franklin Pierce, giving up nine
runs (five earned) on six hits in 2 1/3 innings of work while
striking out one and walking five. Freshman Caitlin Beagan
(Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) came on in relief of Jacobs and
pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs (three earned)
on four hits in her first collegiate appearance.
Doane senior Megan Steele (Fairbury, Neb.) pitched a complete game
for the Tigers, giving up four runs on 11 hits in five innings to
earn the win.
Junior Jackie Prybella (Marshfield,
Mass./Marshfield) had a perfect day at the plate for
Franklin Pierce, going 2-for-2 with a pair of singles and two runs
batted in. Senior Nicole Leary (Hanover,
Mass./Hanover) and sophomore Kristen Tracy (Putnam
Valley, N.Y./Walter Panas) also had two hits each for the
Ravens, with Leary going 2-for-3 with a double and Tracy knocking
in two runs with a 2-for-3 showing, including a double.
Nichols 7, Franklin Pierce 3
Franklin Pierce also fell behind early in its second game of the
night, as Nichols jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings and
held on for a 7-3 victory.
Erin Clark hit a single and a
double against Nichols on Sunday.
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Prybella had a pair of hits once
again for the Ravens, hitting 2-for-4 with two doubles and a pair
of RBI. Freshman Erin Clark (Fort Ann, N.Y./Fort
Ann) had a double and a single for her first career
multi-hit game, while classmate Emily Griffin (Leominster,
Mass./Leominster) had two singles and an RBI.
Raven freshman Kayla Johnson (Hudson,
N.H./Alvirne) made her first collegiate start on Sunday,
pitching the first six innings and giving up seven runs (five
earned) on nine hits. Johnson (0-1) also struck out three and
walked two. Her counterpart, Nichols senior Lindsay Hassett
(Oxford, Mass./Oxford), gave up three runs on eight hits and struck
out eight in a complete-game effort.
The Ravens were down 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning when
the team received a bad break from the umpiring crew. With two outs
and two on, Bison senior Christina Palmerino (Southbridge,
Mass./Southbridge) hit a deep fly to center that bounced short of
the fence and hopped over, but the umpire trailing the play did not
see the ball hit the turf and instead signaled a home run. Despite
an argument from the Raven side, the call stood and Palmerino had a
three-run homer that helped the Bison to victory.
Franklin Pierce (0-2, 0-0 NE-10) returns for its second day at the
Tucson Invitational Games on Monday, with games against Nazareth
College at 4 p.m. and Babson College at 6 p.m. local time. Doane
(5-2, 0-0 GPAC) plays next on Tuesday, then the Tigers take on
Franklin Pierce again at 10:15 a.m., while Nichols (1-0, 0-0 CCC)
takes on Western Nebraska Community College later tonight