Megan Bird had a double in game one for the Ravens

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 9, 2013) -- The Franklin Pierce University softball team was swept on the road in a doubleheader by Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday at Penmen Field in Manchester, N.H. SNHU picked up a 7-2 win in game one, while adding a 7-0 victory in game two, to improve to 13-8 overall and 6-3 in the Northeast-10 (3-0 Northeast Division). The Ravens dipped to 3-16 and 1-11 in league play (0-6 NE Division).

The Penmen exploded for a combined six runs in the first inning of both games, including four in the day's opening contest to set the tone for the afternoon.

Morgan Farmer went 3-for-3 in the first game for SNHU, including driving in a run in the first inning and then providing a power surge with a two-run homer to center field in the fifth inning to break open a three-run lead into a commanding 7-2 advantage. Cristy Jenkins also smacked a home run for the Penmen, which was a solo shot to right field in the third.

Franklin Pierce banged out seven hits in the game, including three for extra bases as freshmenMelissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.), and senior Megan Bird (Laconia, N.H.), each ripped a double. Hansen's two-base knock led off the fourth inning and Morgan followed two batters later by roping a double to center field to bring her in. JuniorAshley Noke (Cumberland, R.I.) was another offensive bright spot for the Ravens as she went 2-for-3. 

Ali Maloof (6-3) got the win in the pitching circle for the Penmen by going all seven innings and yielding the two runs on seven hits with 12 strikeouts and just one base on ball. Maloof's counterpart, Franklin Pierce starter Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-3 after she went 4.1 innings and gave up seven runs (only four earned) on eight hits and five walks.

Things didn't get better for the Ravens in game two as Southern New Hampshire pushed a pair of runs across in the first inning to again take an early lead. The Penmen loaded the bases with one out and Jenkins drew a walk to force in the first run, while Cara Daly lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Kate Stanley for the second tally.

That was all the run support starter Dolores Mattice would need as she pitched seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits (both singles), while striking out seven and walking only three to earn the win and run her record to 5-1.

Hansen and fellow freshman Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) were the two Ravens to get a hit off Mattice.

Just for insurance, SNHU tacked on a run in the fifth and then added four more in the sixth. Farmer highlighted the sixth with a two-run double to center field, bringing in Jenkins and Kelsea Cheney on the play. Cheney had delivered the inning's first two runs a few at-bats earlier as she laced a two-run single back through the middle of the infield.

Rachel Allen (Hull, Mass.) got the start in the circle for the Ravens and suffered the loss to fall to 2-5 after going 5.0 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Wednesday when the Ravens play host to Saint Anselm in a doubleheader in Rindge beginning at 3 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(.)