Saint Michael’s Downs Franklin Pierce in Home Finale

RINDGE, N.H. (April 26, 2018) – The Saint Michael's College softball program ended the Franklin Pierce University Ravens 2018 home schedule with a 7-3 victory at the Bisaccia Softball Complex Thursday evening. With the win, the Purple Knights charge ahead to 10-22, 7-15 NE10 while the Ravens fell to 9-23, 6-16 NE10.

Saint Michael's totaled 13 hits on the night with their four through six hitters accounting for more than half of them (eight). The Purple Knights were led by first basemen Danielle Markowski who went 3-for-5 at the dish with a double and three RBI. Starting pitcher Danielle Brown improved to 8-12 overall while scattering only five hits and allowing three runs – two earned by punching out nine Ravens.

For FPU, third basemen Aubrey Bianco (Marlboro, N.Y.) was 1-for-1 with an RBI, walk and two stolen bases. Right fielder Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.) doubled and brought home one run while pinch hitter Bre Eastlick (Rocklin, Calif.) produced two hits in two at-bats. Southpaw Amelia Mamone (Wynantskill, N.Y.) earned the start for the Crimson and Grey and allowed 12 hits across six frames.

Sloppy defense was present in this showdown as a combined seven errors were committed by each squad.

The guests tallied the first run in the top of the first inning as left fielder Fallon Tierney worked a walk. She stole second base and was driven home via a bounding ball just out of the reach of the Raven shortstop to move them ahead 1-0. The Ravens jumped in front during the bottom of the first for the only inning of the game. Ashley Rosario (Queensbury, N.Y.) got plunked in the wrist and stole second to put a runner in scoring position with two down. Cortese dropped a two-bagger down the left field line scoring Rosario and the next batter, Bianco smoked a single to right center to push the Ravens ahead 2-1.

Over the next three frames, Saint Michael's tallied one run in each inning. In the top of the second, Hayley Craddock singled to left field to plate right fielder Julia Sevigny who reached base via an error. The third frame opened up with three straight singles including Brown helping out her own cause with a single into the left-center field gap. Markowski struck again in the top of the fourth as her one-out double upped the Purple Knight edge to 4-2.

Insurance runs in the sixth and two in seventh grew the score to 7-2 before the Ravens chipped in one run in the bottom of the seventh as they lost in their final home duel.

The Ravens travel away from campus to close their regular season at Merrimack with a three-game set. Tomorrow they play a single game with first pitch set at noon.

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). You can also follow the softball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/fFPUSoftball_) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpu_ravens_softball).