Franklin Pierce Drops Two
Against #24 Florida Gulf Coast
Ravens outscored 10-2 in game one, defeated 10-2 in the nightcap

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 23, 2006) – The Franklin Pierce softball team suffered two tough losses to No. 24 ranked, in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll, Florida Gulf Coast this evening at the Florida Gulf Coast Softball Complex. The Ravens were defeated 10-2 in game one before dropping the nightcap, 10-2, as the Eagles extended their winning streak to 24 games. 

Franklin Pierce was led by sophomore Kate Surgen (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) and classmate Lindsay Knapp (Elmira, N.Y./Nortre Dame) during the first game of the day. Surgen notched a RBI double during the second inning for the Ravens while Knapp contributed an RBI single during the fifth frame.

Franklin Pierce opened with an early 1-0 lead during the second inning, but Florida Gulf Coast rallied in the later half of the frame, exploding for six runs off of Franklin Pierce starter, Linsday Knapp. The Ravens would tally one more run in the top of the fifth inning, but the Eagles countered with four more runs to send the game to an early mercy rule.

Knapp suffered the loss for Franklin Pierce, allowing six runs, five earned, on no hits with six walks in one and one third innings pitched. Sophomore Becky Aalto (Hubbardston, Mass./Gardner) added solid relief for the Ravens, tossing two and two thirds innings, allowing zero runs on one hit. Classmate Amanda Lewis (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) relieved Aalto during the final inning, yielding four earned runs on five hits in one-third of an inning pitched. Florida Gulf Coast freshman Melissa Geissler (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot H.S.) picked up the win, tossing a complete game, five-hitter, while allowing two runs and striking out 11 batters. 

Batteries:
FPC– Lindsay Knapp, Becky Aalto, and Amanda Lewis and Kate Surgen
FGCC – Melissa Geissler and Lauren Barraco 

WP: Geissler
LP: Knapp (2-1)

In the nightcap, Franklin Pierce received solid offensive production from junior captain Michelle McConnell (Elora, Ontario/Centre Wellington) and freshman Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk). McConnell produced a base-hit, while Howard added an RBI base-hit of her own as well as one run scored.

Trailing 5-0 after four and half innings of play, Franklin Pierce rallied to cut the Florida Gulf Coast lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth frame. However, the comeback was short-lived as Florida Gulf Coast tacked on five more runs in the top of the fifth inning to send the game to an early eight run mercy rule. 

Franklin Pierce freshman Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) suffered the loss as she tossed four and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits and five base on balls. The rookie also struck out six batters despite the loss. Aalto yielded five earned runs on five hits in one and one third innings of relief. Florida Gulf Coast freshman Dana Frantz (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) earned the win, pitching five innings and yielding two runs, zero earned, on two hits while striking out four batters.  

            Batteries:
FGCC – Dana Frantz, Sarah Backe and Roz Tyre
FP
– Courtney Jacobs, Becky Aalto and Lauren Benson

WP: Frantz
LP: Jacobs (2-2)
SV:

Franklin Pierce (5-3) will be in action again on tomorrow as it concludes its southern trip with a doubleheader verse Warner Southern College starting at 1 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast University (41-4) will travel to Lynn College on April 5^th at 5 p.m.