Softball Uses Five-Run First to Stop Bridgeport (5-2) After Falling to MSU Moorhead (7-4)

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 17th, 2016) -- Senior pitcher Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.) and a quick start offensively led the Franklin Pierce University softball team to a 5-2 victory over University of Bridgeport on Thursday morning, after the team had suffered a 7-4 loss to Minnesota State Moorhead.

With the win and the loss Franklin Pierce now has a 3-7 record with only two games remaining in the 12-game trip to Florida. Minnesota State advanced to a record of 6-9 with the win, while Bridgeport fell to a 4-7 record.

In the first game, freshman Madison Ryan (Dracut, Mass.) started the Ravens off strong by opening the game with a single. Sophomore second baseman Samantha Bonvino (Milford, Mass.) hit a double to send Ryan home, to give the team a 1-0 advantage. The one run would be answered by the Dragons with two of their own, after a homerun by senior left fielder Kristy Bruni. The homer would drive in two runs to put her team on top in the bottom of the first.

Ryan again would come out strong in the second inning, hitting a single to send sophomore right fielder Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.) home, after she had opened the top of the second with a double. Moorhead would follow the Ravens with another run of its own, after freshman right fielder Aunica Novacek doubled to right field, sending teammate and freshman third basemen Morgan Anderson home, after she had reached base by being hit by a pitch.

In the third inning, the offense kept going strong for both teams. The Ravens scored two more runs in the top of the third, after run-scoring singles by sophomore left fielder Jillian Ostrander (Glens Falls, N.Y.) and senior catcher Morgan Cahill (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). The two singles brought home senior shortstop Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and senior third basemen Erin Wood (Dover, N.Y.).

The Dragons would answer those two runs with three in the bottom of the third, after a double by junior Kristina Villalobos, which drove home two of the three runs in the inning. Moments later, Villalobos would score the third run herself, after making it home due to a fielder's choice.

With the score now 6-4, the offenses both reduced to a simmer. Neither team would score again until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Bruni hit a solo home run to centerfield. The solo shot would be the final run of the game, giving the Dragons a 7-4 victory over the Ravens.

Freshman right-hander Sabrina LoMonaco (Franklin, Mass.) threw the first game for the Ravens. Over six innings, she allowed seven runs on eight hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out five while taking the loss (0-3).

Senior right-hander Morgan Nybo (3-5) picked up the complete-game victory on the other side for MSU Moorhead. Over seven innings, she allowed four runs on 11 hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Later Thursday morning, the Ravens started the game just as they had started the first. The bats were strong, as all five runs for the team were scored at the bottom of the first inning. Ryan started the rally, with a single. Her single was then followed by a double from teammate Hansen. Moments later, a single came from Caputo to send Ryan home. Another double came from Wood, sending Hansen home, to make the score 2-0. The scoring did not stop there for the Ravens, as Cortese singled to center field, sending Caputo home and putting Franklin Pierce up by three. A pair of singles by Bonvino and Ostrander drove in two more runs to give the Ravens a quick 5-0 lead.

Only two more runs were scored over the rest of the game, both in the top of the sixth inning by Bridgeport. A solo home run by freshman right fielder Jenna DiLorenzo put the Knights on the board to make the score 5-1. Moments later, a pair of doubles by junior first basemen Meghan O'Leary and freshman shortstop Kamryn Beach sent home one more run to make the final score 5-2.

In the second game Hansen earned her third win of the season (3-1) after allowing two runs on seven hits and recording four strikeouts against two walks. Sophomore pitcher Amanda Staheli (1-4) took the loss for Bridgeport after allowing five runs and seven hits in the first inning. She was relieved by junior Alyssa Bua who only allowed two hits over the rest of the game and had two strikeouts of her own.

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, March 18, when they wrap up their 12-game trip to Florida with a pair of non-conference, neutral-site games at Hancock Park. Franklin Pierce is slated to face NYIT at 9 a.m. and Wayne State (Mich.) at 11 a.m.

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' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).