Southern
New Hampshire Squeezes By Franklin Pierce MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 25, 2003) - The Franklin Pierce softball team dropped two tough one-run losses to Southern New Hampshire University, falling 1-0 in game one and 2-1 in game two in Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader softball action this afternoon. Senior hurler Mel Keeler led the Penwomen offense hitting 1-for-2 with the gamewinning RBI, as well as firing a four hit shutout to improve to 8-7 on the season. Keeler stuck out four Franklin Pierce batters and walked one in a complete game effort. Juniors Lauren Chenausky (Athol, Mass./Athol) and Michelle Derochers (Billerica, Mass./Billerica) and sophomore Deanna Jones (Wayside, N.J./Ocean Township) were the only Ravens to register a hit in game one, as they all batted 1-3. With the game scoreless and heading into the bottom of the fifth, sophomore Colleen Murphy drew a walk to lead off the inning. Murphy advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Nicole Cote to get into scoring position. Murphy moved to third on a ground out to second and was driven home by Keeler for the win. Junior Kalene Wotton (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont Regional) was the hardluck loser as she allowed just one earned run on two hits, walked three and struck out six in six innings of work.
Keeler was the hero once again in game two, as she held the Ravens to one run in the top of the sixth, striking out two batters and walking one for her second win of the afternoon. Keeler went on to score the gamewinning run in the bottom of the seventh to lift Southern New Hampshire University, 2-1.
The teams played through seven innings of scoreless softball, but things heated up in the top of the frame. Senior Julie Haight (Fort Montgomery, N.Y./O'Neill) was hit by a pitch to move to first and advanced to second on a wild pitch by hurler Jen Dupuis. Keeler then replaced the struggling Dupuis and was set to face junior Quinn Tremblay (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont Regional). Tremblay drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Jones moved both batters over with a sacrifice bunt. With runners at second and third, freshman Dana Wetzel (Riverside, N.J./Pompton Lakes) knocked an RBI single to score Haight and break the deadlock. Keeler settled down a bit to strike out Wotton, but fired another wild pitch to move Tremblay to third. With two outs and runners on second and third, sophomore Amy Torla (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) struck out to end the inning. The Ravens attempted to cling to the one run lead, but Cote scored on a Franklin Pierce fielding error to knot the score 1-1. Keeler advanced to first and second on fielding errors and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by the designated hitter, Trisha Robinson. With Keeler anxiously waiting on third, senior Lacy Veilleux smacked an RBI single to seal the come-from-behind win. Torla suffered the loss allowing two runs, none earned, on two hits, walked one and struck out three in a little over six innings.
Franklin Pierce (10-20-1, 2-15-1 NE-10) next travels to New Haven, Conn. on Sunday for back-to-back doubleheaders against Pace University and Southern Connecticut State University. Game time is yet to be determined. Southern New Hampshire (11-16, 6-14 NE-10) travels to Stonehill College on Sunday for a Conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. |
