Ravens fall to NAIA power Simon Fraser, 5-2, then drop 6-4 decision to Hope International to end the week

Boxscore vs. Simon Fraser
Boxscore vs. Hope International

TUCSON, Ariz. (March 21, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University dropped a pair of games in its final day at the Tucson Invitational Games on Friday afternoon. The Ravens held an early lead on NAIA power Simon Fraser University in the first game of the day before falling, 5-2, before dropping their final game of the week to Hope International University, 6-4.


Simon Fraser 5, Franklin Pierce 2

Franklin Pierce took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third inning, but Simon Fraser scored the final five runs of the game to take a 5-2 decision in Friday’s first game.

Freshman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) had two hits, including a double, and one run batted in to pace the Raven offense. Senior captain Kate Surgen (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) added two hits in three at-bats, while sophomore Kristen Tracy (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Walter Panas) had an RBI single for the Ravens.

The game was marred by a pair of injuries for Franklin Pierce, as the Ravens lost their top two pitchers to blister problems. Junior Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) had allowed only one earned run on two hits through the first four innings before having to leave, and freshman Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) also gave up one run in an inning of work before she had to depart.

Freshman Caitlin Beagan (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) relieved Johnson and pitched the sixth inning, giving up three unearned runs to take the loss (0-1). Sophomore Kiley Molinari (Meriden, Conn./Maloney) began the sixth with an error at third base and Beagan followed by walking the next hitter. Beagan almost got out of the inning by retiring the next two batters before a three-run homer gave the Clan the lead and the victory.

The Ravens also provided a rarity in the fourth inning by turning a triple play. Senior Nicole Leary (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) began the play by tracking down a fly fall in left field, and the relay toss back into the infield found Griffin, who tagged an advancing runner off of first base. Head coach Richard Hurley then appealed that the Clan runner on second base did not tag up properly, and the umpire agreed to cap the unconventional inning-ending play.

Hope International 6, Franklin Pierce 4

Against Hope International, Franklin Pierce scored four in the fifth inning to get within one run, but could not get any closer as the Royals added a run in the seventh inning to take a 6-4 win in the Ravens’ final game at the Tucson Invitational Games.

Beagan began the day’s second game in the circle, pitching the first 3 1/3 innings and taking the loss. The freshman (0-2) gave up four runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out one before ceding the circle to senior Becky Aalto (Hubbardston, Mass./Gardner). Aalto pitched the final 3 2/3 innings for Franklin Pierce, giving up three hits and two runs (one earned).

Junior Elaine Matthews (Roslindale, Mass./Archbishop Williams) had a pair of hits for Franklin Pierce, knocking a double and a single while driving in a pair of runs. Griffin also added an RBI single in the fifth inning for the Ravens.

Franklin Pierce (1-9, 0-0 NE-10) is scheduled to begin the home and conference portion of its slate on Thursday with a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against Bryant University at the Franklin Pierce softball field beginning at 3 p.m. Simon Fraser (4-0) will take on Lawrence University and Chicago University on Sunday, while Hope International (11-12) takes on Taylor University and Gustavus Adolphus College tomorrow morning.