Wiley, Jacobs allow no earned run on the day

Box Score vs. Nyack
Box Score vs. Franciscan

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 18, 2009) – Freshman infielder Keryn Shannon (Dracut, Mass./Dracut) drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning on Wednesday afternoon to lead the Franklin Pierce University softball team to a 2-1 victory over Nyack in non-conference play at the National Training Center. Later in the day, senior pitcher Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) threw a shutout as Franklin Pierce defeated St. Thomas Aquinas, 5-0.

In the first game of the day, the Ravens came away with a final at-bat victory in the bottom of the seventh. Jacobs came to plate as a pinch hitter and drove a triple down the right-field line. Shannon then followed with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to drive home Jacobs and give Franklin Pierce the win. Sophomore second baseman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) drove in the other Franklin Pierce run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth.

In the circle for Franklin Pierce in the first game, freshman Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y./Thousand Islands) threw a complete-game one-hitter without allowing an earned run to pick up the win (2-0). Over seven innings, she walked one and struck out five.

Jacobs led the way for the Ravens in the second game, as she entered the circle and tossed a four-hit shutout to record the win (3-1). Over seven innings, she walked one and struck out seven.

Offensively against St. Thomas Aquinas, sophomore infielder Erin Clark (Fort Ann, N.Y./Fort Ann Central) went 2-for-3 and drove in a run and senior Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) posted a 1-for-1 day with an RBI as well. Senior Jackie Prybella (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) helped pace the Franklin Pierce offense also, as she singled, walked and scored three runs.

The Ravens (4-4, 0-0 Norteast-10) return to the field on Thursday, March 19, with a pair of neutral-site, non-conference games at the National Training Center. The Ravens will take on Philadelphia at 11:30 a.m. before playing Merrimack at 1:30 p.m. Franklin Pierce’s first home games are a doubleheader scheduled for Sunday, March 29 against Southern New Hampshire at noon.