Bats explode as softball clips Bentley 10-3

RINDGE, N.H. (April 17, 2015) – Junior Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.) got the job done both in the circle and on the mound as her performance aided the Franklin Pierce University Ravens softball team to victory over the Bentley University Falcons by a final score of 10-3 at the Melissa Bisaccia Memorial Softball Complex on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Ravens improve to 5-12 (5-11 Northeast-10) while the Falcons fall to 5-14 (2-8 Northeast-10) on the season.

Hansen did her part on the pitching rubber, with only one inning of fault. She only allowed two hits through the first five innings of play, showing her dominance from the spot in six innings of work. Bentley picked her for all three runs, all unearned, in the sixth inning. She allowed two singles, and a couple errors by the Ravens aided Bentley to crossing all three runs, at the time making the score 5-3. At the plate, she went 3-4 with three singles, two of which were bunt singles.

The Ravens were the first to get onto the board in the third inning, as they chased pitcher Kelly Ferris for four runs, only one earned. The inning started with a single by freshman Samantha Bonvino (Milford, Mass.). After two fly outs, fellow classmate Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) got the ball rolling for the Ravens with a double to centerfield, scoring Bonvino for a 1-0 lead.

Hansen would grab her first hit of the day following Sorenson by laying down a bunt and beating the throw, moving Sorenson to third. Grad student Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) put the ball in play next, and reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, scoring Sorenson to make it 2-0. Junior Erin Wood (Dover Plains, N.Y.) would cap off the inning, shooting a double to right center field, cashing in Hansen and Wiley to make the score 4-0.

Franklin Pierce would strike again in the fifth, as senior Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.) led off with a double, once again leaving it to the top of the lineup to contribute. Hansen would collect her second bunt single, moving Dean to third. Wiley would be the one to collect the RBI right after to extend the lead to 5-0

After Bentley's comeback, the Ravens would slam the door shut with a five-run sixth inning. Bonvino and junior Melissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) would lead the inning off with back-to-back walks. Freshman Dominique Bisaccia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) would start a string of three consecutive singles by the Ravens, with Sorenson and Hansen getting into the mix. Senior Karissa Forzese (Methuen, Mass.) and sophomore Mikaela Ballmer (Birdsboro, Pa.) added singles with RBI before the inning wrapped up.

Ferris would grab the loss in the circle for Bentley while Hansen added her third win of the season. Junior Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.) helped close the door on the Falcons coming and securing the lead in the seventh.

The Ravens return to the diamond tomorrow, Saturday, April 18 when they take on Bentley in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. at the Bisaccia Memorial Softball Complex. The team will be honoring two senior athletes as it is the team's final home game of the season.\

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).