Baxter drives home two runs in first game

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (April 26, 2009) – Sophomore right fielder Meghan Colitti (Dover, N.H./Berwick Academy) hit an RBI double to left field in the top of the eighth inning to bring home the game-winning run and give Saint Michael’s a 4-3 win over the Franklin Pierce University softball team in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at Franklin Pierce Softball Field on Sunday afternoon. Saint Michael’s also won the second game, 13-1 in five innings, as four different Purple Knights drove in a pair of runs each.

Saint Michael’s opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Senior center fielder Ashley Harkins (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) led off with an infield single to second base, stole second and moved to third as the throw to second from the catcher escaped into center field. She would later score on an RBI groundout back to the pitcher by senior first baseman Megan O’Connor (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown).

Franklin Pierce answered with three unearned runs in the home half of the first to take a 3-1 lead. Sophomore second baseman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) led off and lined a single into left field, but was erased at second base as freshman center fielder Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) reached on a fielder’s choice. After a groundout moved Bilafer to second, senior left fielder Jackie Prybella (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) reached on an error by the third baseman to put runners at first and third with two outs. Freshman right fielder Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I./Cumberland) followed and pulled a double into left-center field to score both runners and give the Ravens the lead. Baxter then scored on an RBI single to center field by senior shortstop Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk).

Saint Michael’s pulled to within a run at 3-2 with a run in the top of the third inning. With one out, Harkins reached on an infield single off the third baseman. She stole second and would score two batters later on a double to deep left field by O’Connor.

The Purple Knights then tied the game at 3-3 with an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Harkins singled back through the middle, then stole second and took third when the throw from the catcher sailed into center field. Junior catcher Heather French (Sheldon, Vt./Saint Albans) followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to drive home the run.

The score remained the same until Saint Michael’s scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning. With one out, O’Connor lined a double into the gap in left-center field. She would score two batters later on a double up against the fence in left field by Colitti.

Senior pitcher Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) threw a complete game and took the loss (3-17) for Franklin Pierce in the first game. Over eight innings, she allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits, did not issue a walk and struck out two.

Freshman Hillary Berno (Saint Albans, Vt./Saint Albans) started, threw six innings and did not factor in the decision for Saint Michael’s. She gave up three unearned runs on eight hits, did not issue a walk and struck out three. O’Connor threw a scoreless final two innings, allowed one hit and struck out one to pick up the win (8-13) in relief.

In the second game, Saint Michael’s opened the scoring with four runs in the top of the first inning. Harkins led off with an infield single to shortstop and moved to second when French walked. O’Connor then bounced into a fielder’s choice that saw French erased at second base. Sophomore third baseman Kelly Rose Losi (Milton, Mass./Milton) followed and hit a ground ball to shortstop. She picked up an RBI on the fielder’s choice as the throw came to the plate in an unsuccessful attempt to throw out Harkins. After an infield single by Colitti loaded the bases, sophomore designated player Kate Condon (Holliston, Mass./Holliston) hit a ground ball to shortstop. The throw to the plate escaped the catcher, which allowed both O’Connor and Losi to score, while moving the other runners to second and third. Junior second baseman Kelly Egan (Milford, Mass./Marian) followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Colitti and cap the inning’s scoring.

The Purple Knights broke the game open and extended the lead to 9-0 with five runs in the top of the second inning. The big blow of the inning was Condon’s second home run of the season, a two-run shot to straightaway center field. Also in the inning, O’Connor drove home two runs when she lined a double off the fence in the right-center field gap and Colitti brought in a run with an RBI single back up the middle.

Franklin Pierce got on the board and cut the lead to 9-1 with a run in the bottom half of the second. With one out, Howard singled through the left side, but was erased at second base as senior designated player Elaine Matthews (Roslindale, Mass./Archbishop Williams) reached on a fielder’s choice. Matthews moved to second on a wild pitch and reached on a double that dropped just inside the right-field line behind first base for senior first baseman Jen Ryan (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop).

Saint Michael’s added an unearned run in the top of the third inning on an RBI infield single by Losi to push the lead to 10-1.

The Purple Knights made it 12-1 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Billings brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to right field and French provided an RBI groundout. They also added a run in the top of the fifth to create the 13-1 final when Egan bounced into an RBI fielder’s choice. Saint Michael’s held Franklin Pierce to just the lone run through five innings to come away with a shortened victory due to the eight-run rule.

Sophomore pitcher Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) started in the circle, threw two innings and took the loss (0-10) in the second game for Franklin Pierce. She surrendered nine runs (seven earned) on seven hits and walked two.

O’Connor threw a five-hitter for Saint Michael’s to notch the win (9-13). She allowed one run, did not issue a walk, threw a wild pitch and struck out six.

The Ravens (5-35, 1-25 Northeast-10) return to the field on Monday, April 27, when they travel to Bentley to wrap up the season with a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. Saint Michael’s concludes its season at 12-26, including 8-20 in the Northeast-10.