Athletics - Franklin Pierce University

Franklin Pierce Sweeps Games on Opening Day
Ravens swing past Bowdoin and Albright, start season 2-0

Freshman Stephanie Howard went 2-for-2 at the plate with a single, a double and two runs scored in her first collegiate game.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 19, 2006) – The Franklin Pierce softball team opened the 2006 season on a positive note, taking both games on the first day of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Ravens defeated Bowdoin College 7-1 in game one before topping Albright College 3-2 in game two.

In game one, Franklin Pierce was led by freshman Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) who went 2-for-2 at the plate in her first collegiate game, with a single, a double and two runs scored. Classmate Jackie Prybella (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) was also solid for the Ravens, picking up a triple and an RBI in her first college appearance.

Junior Nicole Burk (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) registered a RBI double and scored two runs for Franklin Pierce, while sophomore Kate Surgen (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) chipped in with an RBI single.

Sophomore Lindsay Knapp tossed a complete game, six hitter, allowing no earned runs, while striking out three batters in game one.

Franklin Pierce rallied for seven runs throughout the third, fourth and fifth innings to secure the victory. Sophomore Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) started off the third inning with a lead-off walk. Prybella plated Giardina with her RBI triple and later scored on a pass-ball.

In the fourth, the Ravens notched two more runs off back-to-back doubles by Howard and Burk and a RBI single by Surgen. In the fifth frame, the Ravens would take advantage of two Polar Bear errors and several pass-balls to add three more runs to its lead.

Sophomore Lindsay Knapp (Elmira, N.Y./Notre Dame) tossed all seven innings, scattering six hits, while allowing no earned runs and striking out three batters. Bowdoin sophomore Brittany Ogden (Maynard, Mass./Concord Carlisle) suffered the loss.

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Bowdoin	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	6	4
FPC	0	0	2	2	3	0	X	7	5	3

Batteries:
BC – Brittany Ogden, Katie Neilson
FP
– Lindsay Knapp, Kate Surgen

WP: Knapp (1-0)
LP: Ogden

Freshman Courtney Jacobs tossed a complete game, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking four in her collegiate debut.

In game two, Franklin Pierce received solid offensive production Giardina, who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two singles and one run scored. Knapp was also solid at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a single while driving in two runs. Sophomore Nicole Leary (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) chipped in with one hit, one run, a key defensive, diving catch to end the game.

Franklin Pierce scored all three runs during the third inning as Leary led off with a single, followed by a Giardina bunt single. Knapp then connected for a single that plated both Leary and Giardina, and advanced to third base on an overthrow. Knapp eventually scored on a pass-ball to notch the third run for the Ravens.

Freshman Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) went the distance for the Ravens, tossing a complete-game three-hitter, allowing one earned run, four walks and striking out three batters. Albright College senior Ashley Young (North Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) suffered the loss.

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Albright	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2	3	1
FPC	0	0	3	0	0	0	X	3	5	1

Batteries:
HC – Ashley Young, Meredith Hippert
FP
– Courtney Jacobs, Kate Surgen

WP: Jacobs (1-0)
LP: Young), Myers

Franklin Pierce (2-0) continues its run in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic tomorrow with games versus Saint Joseph’s College of New York at 6 p.m. and Mount Mercy College at 8 p.m.