Jacobs strikes out five in second game

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

LEOMINSTER, Mass. (April 23, 2009) – Junior shortstop Megan Caporossi (Northford, Conn./North Branford) went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run to lead Southern Connecticut State to an 8-0, six-inning victory over the Franklin Pierce University softball team in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at Lassie League Field on Thursday afternoon. SCSU also won the second game, 7-1, as freshman right fielder Alyssa Pagano (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) hit 3-for-4 with a double and a triple and scored twice.

In the first game, SCSU opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the second inning. Senior third baseman Christina Wolf (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) led off, was hit by a pitch and was subsequently erased at second as Pagano reached on a fielder’s choice. Pagano then moved to second on a groundout, took third on a passed ball and scored on a single to center field by junior center fielder Julianne Flood (Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington).

The Owls extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Junior catcher Khristle Lee (Aztec, N.M./Aztec) led off with a solo home run to left field, her second round-tripper of the season. With one out, Caporossi reached on an infield single to shortstop, moved to second on a groundout and scored on an RBI single to center by Wolf.

SCSU made it 4-0 with a run in the top of the fifth inning when junior pitcher Kerry Iacomini (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) led off the inning with a home run to left field, her team-leading sixth of the season.

SCSU then scored four times in the top of the sixth inning to push the lead to 8-0. With one out, Lee walked and moved to second as freshman pinch hitter Shawna Mallory (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Both runners came into score as Caporossi followed with her fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left-center field. Iacomini followed with an infield single to the pitcher, moved to second on a single through the left side by Wolf. Two batters later, senior first baseman Brittany Gandley (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) knocked an RBI single through the left side to score Iacomini and cap the scoring.

SCSU tallied a six-inning victory due to the eight-run rule when Franklin Pierce could not tally a run in the bottom half of the sixth.

Freshman pitcher Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y./Thousand Islands) started in the circle and took the loss (2-7) in the first game for Franklin Pierce. Over 5.1 innings, she allowed seven runs (five earned) on nine hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out one.

Iacomini tossed a three-hit shutout to pick up the win (8-4) for Southern Connecticut State. She did not issue a walk and struck out five.

In the second game, SCSU opened the scoring with two unearned runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, Lee worked a walk and moved around to third on a single down the right-field line by Caporossi. On the play, Franklin Pierce freshman right fielder Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I./Cumberland) overthrew third base in an attempt to throw out Lee. The error allowed Lee to score and moved Caporossi over to third. Caporossi would then score on a throwing error by Franklin Pierce freshman catcher Jamie Verner (Natick, Mass./Natick), who attempted to pick off Caporossi by throwing behind her.

The Owls extended the lead to 5-0 with three more unearned runs in the top of the second inning. Gandley led off with a single back up the middle and was erased at second base as senior left fielder Monica Savarese (Orange, Conn./Amity) reached on a fielder’s choice, who then moved to second on a single to right field by sophomore second baseman Robin Priest (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire). Savarese would then score and Priest moved around to third as Flood reached second base when a fly ball to right field was dropped. Lee followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Priest and move Flood to score. Flood in turn scored on an RBI single through the left side by Caporossi.

SCSU pushed the lead to 6-0 with a run in the top of the third inning. With one out, Pagano knocked a triple to right field and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Gandley.

Franklin Pierce got on the board and cut the lead to 6-1 with a run in the home half of the third. Senior shortstop Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) led off with a walk and moved to second as senior first baseman Jen Ryan (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop HS) worked a walk as well. Howard would then score on a ground-rule double to left field by sophomore second baseman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass./Leominster).

SCSU finished off the day’s scoring with an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning to create the 7-1 final. With two outs, Pagano lined a double over the head of the right fielder. Gandley followed, had her at-bat prolonged by a dropped foul ball and then knocked a single back through the middle to score Pagano from second.

Senior pitcher Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) threw a complete game and took the loss (3-14) for Franklin Pierce in the second game. Over seven innings, she allowed seven runs (one earned) on 12 hits, walked two and struck out five.

Senior pitcher Amanda Pindar (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) started in the circle and picked up the win (3-3) for Southern Connecticut State. Over 4.1 innings, she allowed one run on two hits, walked five and struck out two.

The Ravens (5-29, 1-19 Northeast-10) return to the field on Friday, April 24, when they host Assumption in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Franklin Pierce Softball Field in Rindge, N.H. Southern Connecticut State (27-11, 16-8 Northeast-10) returns to action on April 25 at home against Bentley.