Sam Conners goes 3-for-3 with two RBI, including driving in the winning run in game one

RINDGE, N.H. (April 6, 2013) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team splits its doubleheader with Pace on Saturday as the Ravens opened the home portion of their 2013 schedule and snapped a nine-game losing streak in the process. The Ravens took game one by a 4-3 count, but dropped an 8-3 margin in game two at the FPU Softball Field in Rindge. Franklin Pierce moved to 3-12 (1-7 Northeast-10, 0-4 Northeast Division), while Pace moved to 10-9 (5-8 NE-10, 2-5 Southwest Division).

The offensive catalyst for the Ravens in game one was freshman Sam Conners (Jackson, N.J.), who went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs driven in. Conners got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first inning as the Ravens plated a pair of runs to take an early 2-0.

She also came up huge in the bottom of the fifth inning as she broke a 3-3 tie with a base hit back through the middle of the infield, scoring Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.), who had reached base via a walk two batters earlier and moved into scoring position on another single up the middle from Melissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.).

The Ravens received solid pitching throughout the first game, especially from senior hurler Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.), who came on in relief of starter Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.) in the top of the sixth and slammed the door shut on Pace by retiring all six batters she faced over the final two frames to earn the save.

Adee got the win, which marked the first triumph of her collegiate career, as she moved to 1-2 on the campaign. Adee worked 5.0 innings and yielded just three runs on five hits. She struck out a pair, but did issue five walks.

Adee did give up a game-tying two-run shot to Kimberly Duffy in the top of the fourth inning, but she showed a lot of maturity in the circle by settling down and not allowing a run the rest of the way before the Ravens scratched out the winning tally in the bottom of the fifth.

Franklin Pierce pounded out eight hits in the game as Morgan also went 3-for-3 at the dish while driving in a run and scoring another. Hansen crossed home plate twice and smacked a double, while classmate Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) had Franklin Pierce’s other hit in the game, which was also a two-base knock.

Kelly Fisher took the loss for Pace to fall to 4-3 after she went 6.0 innings and gave up four runs on eight hits.

The Ravens, though, struggled in game two as Pace scored three times in the third, once in the fourth and erupted for four in the fifth to grab the win. Natalie Gellos collected a pair of hits, including launching a solo home run to left field in the fourth inning. Samantha Garcia also had a pair of hits and drove in three runs, including two on a double to left field in the third. She also scored twice to cap her impressive offensive game.

Caputo and Hansen each had a pair of hits to spark the Ravens’ offensive attack. Hansen laced a two-run triple to right field in the fifth inning as Franklin Pierce tried to mount a rally.

Hansen also started in the circle for the Ravens and was tagged with the loss after going 4.1 innings, yielding four earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. Chelsea Shea got the win for Pace as she went the distrance and struck out seven.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Sunday when the Ravens play host to Adelphi in a doubleheader in Rindge beginning at 12 p.m.

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(.)