Raven offense collects 12 hits in second game; Wiley nets first career win

Box Score vs. Philadelphia
Box Score vs. St. Thomas Aquinas

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 15, 2009) – Senior Jackie Prybella (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) clubbed a two-run double as part of a 12-hit attack on Monday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University softball team picked up its first win of the season with an 8-2, non-conference, neutral-site win over St. Thomas Aquinas at the National Training Center. Earlier in the day, Franklin Pierce dropped a 7-1 decision to Philadelphia.

In the first game of the day, the Franklin Pierce offense was stifled to the tune of one run on two hits. Philadelphia scored twice in the first inning, once in the second and four times in the third to cruise to the 7-1 victory. The only run of the game for the Ravens came in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) clubbed a double and later came in to score on an RBI single by sophomore infielder Erin Clark (Fort Ann, N.Y./Fort Ann Central).

Senior pitcher Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) started the game in the circle for the Ravens and took the loss (1-1). Over 2.1 innings, she gave up five runs (one earned) on four hits, walked one and struck out five as the Franklin Pierce defense made six errors in the contest.

In the second game of the day, the Franklin Pierce bats came to life and piled up eight runs on 12 hits. In addition to Prybella’s two-run double, senior infielder Elaine Matthews (Roslindale, Mass./Archbishop Williams) also drove in two runs with a 2-for-4 performance. Sophomore second baseman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) and freshman outfielder Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I./Cumberland) also each drove in a run while going 2-for-4 and 2-for-3 at the plate, respectively. Freshman outfielder Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) and freshman Jamie Verner (Natick, Mass./Natick) both collected their first career hits in the victory.

Freshman pitcher Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y./Thousand Islands) picked up her first collegiate win (1-0) in the circle in the second game for the Ravens. She pitched all seven innings, allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, walked one and struck out four.

The Ravens (1-3, 0-0 Norteast-10) return to the field on Tuesday, March 16, with a pair of neutral-site, non-conference games at the National Training Center. The Ravens will take on Indiana Tech at 1:30 p.m. before playing Franciscan at 3:30 p.m. Franklin Pierce’s first home games are a doubleheader scheduled for Sunday, March 29 against Southern New Hampshire at noon.