RINDGE, N.H. (April 15, 2015) – Graduate student Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) went 4-6 with a walk in two games, including a double and three RBI's. But her effort couldn't help solve any defensive woes, as the Franklin Pierce University Ravens softball team was swept in two by the Saint Anselm College Hawks by scores of 6-2 and 11-6. The Ravens committed nine errors on the day en route to the losses, eight of which occurred in game one.

With the losses, Franklin Pierce drops to 4-12 overall (4-11 Northeast-10), while Saint Anselm improves to 15-4 overall (7-2 Northeast-10). Saint Anselm stays atop the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division standings as they compete with Southern New Hampshire for the top spot.

Game one got off to a tough start for pitcher Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.), as Julie LeClair knocked out a two-run home run just three batters into the game, giving the Hawks the early lead.

The Ravens would get one back in the bottom of the second, as Wiley would walk to lead off the inning. After she moved up on a ground out by senior Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.), she would come around to score on a single to right field by junior Morgan Cahill (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) to bring the score to 2-1.

Saint Anselm would tack on a run in the third on a home run by Pattie Turner, one more in the fourth, and two in the top of the seventh off of reliever Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.). Franklin Pierce would get a little too little too late in the bottom of the seventh, as freshman Samantha Bonvino (Milford, Mass.) would get a one-out single, would advance to third on a single and error on the play from junior Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.). With Bonvino on third and Caputo on second, Cortese would hit a grounder, which Caputo would beat to second, scoring Bonvino from third. That would be all the Ravens would muster for the game, losing 6-2.

In game two, both Paige Cormier and freshman Aubrey Bianco (Marlboro, N.Y.) would face off in an early pitching duel, as each team was denied scoring through the first two innings. It would be Saint Anselm drawing first blood, as Hannah Byrne smashed an RBI single up the middle, scoring Emily Crannell. They would cash in one before the inning would end, as Amanda Bickford would steal home on a double steal, as the Hawks would go up 2-0.

In typical Franklin Pierce fashion as of late, they would equalize the score in the bottom of the third. Wiley would cash in both Hansen and freshman Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) with a two-out RBI single, tying the game at 2-2.

Saint Anselm would combat the Ravens play with three runs in the top of the fourth off Bianco, extending the lead out to 5-2. That didn't stop the charge from Franklin Pierce, as they would once again fight to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Bonvino would walk to start the inning, and two batters later would advance to second on a Sorenson double. A groundout by Hansen would score Bonvino, and with two out Wiley would deliver again, this time with a double to score Sorenson from second. With the score now 5-4, the Ravens would get back to back singles from junior Erin Wood (Dover Plains, N.Y.) and Cortese, scoring Wiley to tie the game at 5-5.

After Bianco bared down and sat down the Hawks with minimal damage in the top of the sixth, the bottom of the Ravens lineup was able to focus in and come through in the clutch. Cahill would start the inning off with a double down the right field line. After being pinch run for by junior Julie Gallagher (Flanders, N.J.), Bonvino would lay down a bunt to move her over. Then with one out, Dean would step in and deliver a perfect safety squeeze, scoring Gallagher from third and getting herself a base hit in the process as she beat the throw to first. The Ravens now had their first lead of the day, 6-5.

The Ravens were three outs away from a solid comeback, upset win over the Hawks. But Saint Anselm wasn't about to let that happen. Six runs would go up on the board in the top of the seventh, as the Hawks would bat through the lineup, and the Ravens would use three different pitchers to stop the bleeding.

Wiley would record a single to start off the seventh, but the Ravens would go down with minimal fight, dropping the game 11-6.

The Ravens return home this Friday, April 17 as they will play one game, the first game of a three game set versus Bentley at the Melissa Bisaccia Memorial Softball Complex beginning at 4 p.m. Franklin Pierce will conclude the series on Saturday, with a doubleheader starting at noon. It is also the final scheduled home games for the Ravens, as they will also recognize their senior student athletes prior to the game.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce softball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).