Softball Splits Twinbill at Bentley; Sunday's Home DH vs. Falcons Has Been PPD

Rachel Allen tosses complete-game victory in game one

WALTHAM, Mass. (April 13, 2013) -- The Franklin Pierce University softball team took game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Bentley and eventually split the twin bill with the Falcons in Waltham, Mass. The Ravens took game one by a 5-2 count to snap a seven-game losing streak, but then dropped a tough 2-0 decision in game two. Franklin Pierce moved to 4-19 overall and 2-14 in the Northeast-10, including a 1-9 mark in the Northeast Division. Bentley moved to 9-21 and 5-13 in league play (2-8 NE Division).

The first game featured a lot of offense by the Ravens as they pounded out their five runs on 10 hits. Eight of the nine Ravens in the lineup had a hit, including junior Ashley Noke (Cumberland, R.I.), who had an outstanding game by going 2-for-4 with both hits going for doubles. She scored a run and drove in a pair, which came in the first inning that keyed a four-run frame by the Ravens to take hold and never look back.

Noke's two-base knock was driven to center field, which brought home Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and Melissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) on the play. Caputo helped get the rally started by drawing a lead off walk and Morgan followed two batters later by roping a single through the left side. Sam Conners (Jackson, N.J.) followed Noke with an RBI single and the barrage was capped with Megan Bird's (Laconia, N.H.) RBI base hit to center, bringing home Noke on the play.

Senior pitcher Rachel Allen (Hull, Mass.) made that four-run cushion stand up with a strong performance in the pitching circle. Allen improved to 3-6 on the year by going all seven innings and yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks.

She retired the first four batters she faced and was only touched up by Bentley with a run in both the second and fifth innings. The second inning run was unearned as the Falcons scored on a Franklin Pierce fielding error.

The Ravens tacked on an insurance run in the fourth when Morgan worked a bases loaded walk to force in Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass.), who stroked a single to lead off the inning.

Both teams pounded out five hits apiece in game two, but Bentley was able to scratch out a pair of runs in the fourth. Erica Thibodeau stroked an RBI single, while Laura McDonough knocked in a run on an RBI sacrifice fly.

Despite taking the loss in the pitching circle, Franklin Pierce freshman hurler Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.) turned in a solid start by going 6.0 innings and yielding just two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Kelly Ferris scattered five hits over her 7.0 innings of work to earn the victory.

Caputo led Franklin Pierce's offensive attack with a pair of singles.

Franklin Pierce's home Sunday doubleheader with Bentley has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date. The Ravens will return to action Tuesday when they play host to Saint Michael's in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. on the FPU Softball Field.

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(.)