Allen goes the distance in picking up game one victory

GAME 1 BOXSCORE

GAME 2 BOXSCORE

RINDGE, N.H. (April 19, 2011) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team ran its winning streak to four-straight games on Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of Saint Michael’s at FPU Softball Field in Rindge, N.H. The Ravens took game one by a count of 6-2, and followed with a 12-6 triumph in game two. Franklin Pierce improved to 9-21 overall and 7-11 in the Northeast-10, while St. Mike’s dipped to 4-22 and 2-14 in league play.

Sophomore starting pitcher Rachel Allen (Hull, Mass.) got the ball in the circle in game one and worked all seven innings to earn the win to improve to 1-3 on the season. She scattered six hits while giving up just two runs (only one earned) and striking out six.

Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass.), Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) and Nicole Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) each had two hits in the game. One of Pratt’s hits was a three-run home run in the fourth inning that enabled the Ravens to pull off the come-from-behind victory.

After spotting St. Mike’s a 2-0 lead in the top half of the fourth, Pratt’s blast came in a four-run, bottom half of the frame for the Ravens, who broke open the game from there. The inning started with Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.) reaching via an error and advancing to second after Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Meaghan O’Neal (Littleton, Mass.), who would have a monster offensive game in the second contest, advanced both runners up a base with a successful sacrifice bunt attempt. Jamie Verner (Natick, Mass.) followed by hitting into a fielder’s choice, but all runners would be safe, including Baxter, who raced home in time to score the game’s first run. Pratt then stepped to the plate and launched a shot over the left-field wall to also bring home Furtado and Verner on the play.

Franklin Pierce would add to its lead in the sixth inning with a pair of runs and it all started with another strong swing from Pratt, who led off the frame with a double to left field. Griffin would drive her in moments later with a single back up the middle, and she would eventually score on a play when Bilafer reached via a throwing error by the Purple Knights.

Allen did yield a double in the top of the seventh as Saint Michael’s tried to rally, but she shut the door on the Purple Knights with a strikeout to end the threat.

Franklin Pierce picked up in game two where it left off in game one, as the Ravens scored twice in the first inning and four times in the second to blow the game open.

Griffin led off the first with a single and eventually scored on another St. Mike’s error, while Furtado singled home Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) for the inning’s second run.

The Purple Knights did plate a run in the second to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Ravens were quick to counter with the four runs in the bottom of the inning. O’Neal, Verner and Griffin each reached via a single to start the frame, and O’Neal would come home moments later on a passed ball. Wiley followed and brought in both Verner and Griffin with a two-run double to left-center. Wiley would eventually score on a fielding error by St. Mike’s later in the frame.

The Purple Knights, though, wouldn’t go away and scored three times in the fourth to pull within 6-4. However, Franklin Pierce answered with two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to go up 11-5. Baxter had an RBI single in the fourth. Franklin Pierce sent all nine batters to the plate in the fifth, and the rally began with a leadoff double from O’Neal, who went 4-for-4 in the game with two doubles and two singles. The Ravens would eventually load the bases and Baxter collected an RBI by drawing a walk to bring home O’Neal. Bilafer collected an RBI by drawing another bases loaded walk, and Wiley stroked a run-scoring single to cap the scoring for the Ravens in the inning.

For safe measure, Franklin Pierce scored once in the sixth, as the Ravens would cruise on to victory from there.

Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) got the start in the pitching circle for Ravens in game two and earned the win after going four-plus innings yielding five runs on seven hits.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Thursday when the Ravens travel to Manchester to face Southern New Hampshire in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was moved due to potential inclement weather hitting the region.

For more information on Franklin Pierce softball, please visit the team’s page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).