Tricia Hansen outstanding in the pitching circle by allowing just one earned run in a complete-game effort

COLCHESTER, Vt. (April 24, 2014) – Sophomore Melissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a double, and three runs scored to help lead the Franklin Pierce University softball team to a 7-3 win over Saint Michael’s on Thursday afternoon at Doc Jacobs Field in Colchester, Vt.

The Ravens won for the eighth time in the past nine games, erased the memory of yesterday's tough 5-0 setback to Assumption, and improved to 12-18 overall, 10-12 in the Northeast-10, and 8-10 in the Northeast Division. Franklin Pierce also swept the three-game season series from the Purple Knights, as the Ravens picked up a doubleheader sweep over their Northern foes on Tuesday in Rindge. St. Mike’s dipped to 1-31, 1-23 in the league, and 0-18 in the division.

A day after being two-hit by the Greyhounds, the Ravens got back to smacking the ball all over the field on Thursday, keeping to a trend that has seen Franklin Pierce become one of the hottest offensive teams in the league over the past two weeks. Joining Morgan in the offensive outburst was senior Ashley Noke (Cumberland, R.I.), who went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in and two runs scored. Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.) added two hits and a run scored, while Morgan Cahill (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) smacked a double.

The Ravens put a run up in the second on Cahill’s RBI double scoring Morgan, but quickly found themselves trailing 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Judi Barcavage laced an RBI single to left field, and Jenna Maksian scored later in the frame on an FPU error.

Franklin Pierce, though, righted the ship in the fourth with two runs, and then tacked on four more in the fifth to open up a commanding 7-2 advantage.

The Ravens got their two runs in the fourth on a throwing error by St. Mike’s, allowing Noke to come around and score, while Megan Gardiner (Vernon, Conn.) lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Morgan who walked earlier in the inning.

Noke kept the offense rolling in the fifth with a two-run single to right, bringing home Dean and Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.). Morgan then ripped an RBI double to plate Noke, while Gardiner added a run-producing base hit up the middle to cap the explosive inning.

Saint Michael’s tacked on a run late, but it did not threaten in the least. Hansen was the pitcher of record for the Ravens, as she earned the win to move to 7-7 on the year. She went the distance and yielded just one earned run on seven hits with five strikeouts and zero walks. Hansen has been impressive as of late to say the least, as she has won each of her last five decisions.

Greer Lemnah and Bethany Falls each had two hits for the Purple Knights. Laura McCormack suffered the loss as the starter by going just 4.2 innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Friday as it kicks off back-to-back doubleheaders at Merrimack beginning at 3 p.m. in North Andover, Mass. The second twinbill will be held on Saturday at 12 p.m. on Merrimack’s campus.

For more information on Franklin Pierce softball, please visit the team’s page at http://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 http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)