Rachel Allen pitches complete game to earn the win over Quincy

Tricia Hansen, seen here pitching during her high school career, made a fine collegiate debut for Franklin Pierce on Friday as she drove in the game-winning run with a bunt single in the bottom of the seventh in a 3-2 win over Quincy. She also started the season opener earlier in the day versus Maryville and fared well by allowing just one earned run with five strikeouts (zero walks) in four innings of work.

BOXSCORE FROM MARYVILLE GAME

DECATUR, Ala. (February 15, 2013) -- The Franklin Pierce University softball team opened its 2013 season on Friday with a split of two games on day one of the UAH Charger Chillout at the Wilson Morgan Softball Complex in Decatur, Ala. The Ravens opened the day with a tough 7-0 loss to Maryville (Mo.) in the morning, but rebounded with a thrilling 3-2 walk-off win over Quincy in the evening.

The nightcap versus Quincy brought about a lot of drama as the Ravens came back from an early deficit to pick up their first win of the new campaign. After a solo home run by Quincy in the top of the second inning, the Ravens rebounded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third. Senior infielder Megan Bird (Laconia, N.H.) stroked a single to right field to get things started and came around to score two batters later when freshman Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) smacked a double to left-center field to collect the first RBI of her collegiate career. Classmate Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.) was next to the plate and laid down a nice bunt single which advanced Caputo to third. A throwing error by Quincy on the play enabled both runners to advance, including Caputo crossing home plate to stake the Ravens to the one-run lead.

Quincy was able to string together a couple of singles in the top of the seventh to tie the game, but the Ravens were not deterred and went right back to work in the bottom of the frame. Bird, once again, got things started with a single and was able to steal second to move into scoring position. Caputo reach via an infield single, but Bird was not able to move up to third. It didn't matter, however, as Hansen laid down a second bunt single, with this one going for an RBI as Bird came around third to score, thus giving the Ravens the well deserved and hard fought win.

Senior hurler Rachel Allen (Hull, Mass.) got the start in the pitching circle and tossed a gem by going the distance and yielding just those two runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks. She improved to 1-0 with the triumph.

The win showed the Ravens' resiliency after a tough morning game versus Maryville. Franklin Pierce was able to string together just four base hits in the game and could not overcome a five-run sixth inning which blew the contest open. Caputo and Hansen each stroked a single, while freshman Sam Conners (Jackson, N.J.) and sophomore Karissa Forzese (Methuen, Mass.) had the other two base hits.

Hansen got the start in the circle to open the season and pitched decently in allowing just two runs (only one earned) on four hits with five strikeouts and zero walks. Graduate student Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.), who was making her first appearance since the 2011 season after missing last year with an injury, came on in relief in the fifth inning, but stumbed through some rough waters in the sixth by giving up five runs. 

Shelby Steinkamp led Maryville's offensive charge with a 3-for-4 performance with two runs driven in and a run scored. Jennifer Maynez also drove in a pair of runs in the win.

Franklin Pierce will look to take the good vibes from Friday's night time triumph into its double-dip of games on Saturday at the Chillout, as the Ravens will begin play versus Southern Indiana at 11 a.m., and then return to the diamond for a 3 p.m. contest against Ohio Dominican.

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/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce softball apparel can do so on the athletic department's online store at athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)