Athletics - Franklin Pierce University

Freshman Kate Surgen hit 2-for-3 and notched the game-winning run for the Ravens, as they defeated American International 2-1 for their first conference win of the season.

Franklin Pierce Sweeps
American International
Ravens even conference mark with
first NE-10 wins of season

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 5, 2005) – The Franklin Pierce softball team picked up their first league wins of the season today, sweeping American International in a Northeast-10 Conference twinbill at Yellow Jackets Field in Springfield, Mass. The Ravens slipped past the hosts 2-1 in the first game, and edged the Yellow Jackets 5-4 in an extra-inning thriller to complete the sweep.

In game one, freshman Kate Surgen (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) hit 2-for-3 and notched the game-winning run for the Ravens. Sophomore Nicole Burk (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) registered a single and an RBI, while sophomores Colleen Varone (Holliston, Mass./Holliston) and Michelle McConnell (Elora, Ontario/Centre Wellington), along with freshman Lindsay Knapp (Elmira, N.Y./Notre Dame) chipped in with singles.

Sophomore Sarah Mead (Great Barrington, Mass./Monument Mtn.) turned in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, while senior Lee Ann Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) hit a perfect 2-for-2 for American International. Mead scored the Yellow Jackets lone run in the bottom of the third frame, when she singled, stole second and scored on an error.

Trailing 1-0, Franklin Pierce rallied for two runs in the top of the fifth inning to clinch the victory. Knapp started things off with a lead-off single. She was pinch-run for by sophomore Haley Wile (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater), who advanced to second on a Taylor Kenyon (Bennington, Vt./Mt. Anthony) sacrifice bunt. Surgen followed with a single to move Wile to third base. She then stole second base, putting runners at second and third with one out. Burk plated Wile with an RBI single to knot the game at one, and Surgen scored the game-winner on a passed ball.

Ravens senior captain Amy Torla (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) turned in a superb effort on the mound, allowing no earned runs in a complete game performance. She scattered six hits en route to her first win of the season. Freshman Megan Nickerson (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) also went the distance, limiting Franklin Pierce to six hits and one earned run in a losing effort.

Batteries:
FP
– Torla, Varone
AIC – Nickerson, Provost

WP – Torla (1-3)
LP – Nickerson (1-2)
SV – None
HR – None

Franklin Pierce 2, American International 1

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	H	R	E
Franklin Pierce	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	6	2
American International	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	1

Boxscore and Play-by-Play

Sophomore Colleen Varone propelled the Ravens to a doubleheader sweep of American International on Tuesday, hitting 3-for-5 in the nightcap. She knocked in two runs, including the game winner in the top of the ninth inning.

Franklin Pierce took the nightcap in another nail-biter. Varone went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles to fuel the Ravens offensive attack. She recorded two RBI, including the game-winner to go along with a pair of stolen bases and a run scored. Freshman Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) hit 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. She also scored the eventual game-winning run.

American International was led by senior Nikki Matisi (Greenfield, Mass), who was 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Mead chipped in with an RBI single and two runs scored, while Howard and junior Nicole Siciliano (Enfield, Conn./Enfield) each notched a single, an RBI and a run.

Franklin Pierce broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning, when Varone singled, stole second and scored on a McConnell single. Siciliano singled in Howard in the bottom of the fifth inning to even the score at one, but Varone doubled in Taylor in the top of the sixth inning to put the Ravens back on top. American International answered in the bottom half of the inning, as Mead walked, advanced to third on a Matisi double and scored on a Howard single.

Both teams added a pair of runs in the seventh frame, sending the contest to extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Franklin Pierce put together a two-out rally in the top of the ninth inning to break the 4-4 tie. Giardina got things started with a double. She advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and scored the game-winner on a Varone single. The Ravens held American International scoreless in the bottom of the inning to preserve the doubleheader sweep.

Knapp allowed just one earned run on four hits in six innings of work for the Ravens. Freshman Becky Aalto (Hubbartston, Mass./Gardner) shutdown the Yellow Jackets over the final two innings and picked up her second win of the season. Nickerson suffered her second loss of the day for the hosts.

Batteries:
FP
– Knapp (6), Lemoie (1) and Aalto (2), Varone
AIC – Markiewicz (5) and Nickerson (4), Provost

WP – Aalto (2-0)
LP – Nickerson (1-3)
SV – None
HR – None

Franklin Pierce 5, American International 4 (9 innings)

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	H	R	E
Franklin Pierce	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	0	1	5	8	2
American International	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	0	0	1	6	1

Boxscore and Play-by-Play

Franklin Pierce (4-12, 2-2 NE-10) will open up their home slate on Thursday, when they host Assumption College for Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. American International (3-11, 0-6 NE-10) will also be in action on Thursday, as they visit Saint Michael’s for a Conference twinbill starting at 3:00 p.m.