Furtado collects four hits for Ravens

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (April 25, 2010) – Freshman catcher Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass.) recorded four hits on Sunday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University softball team was defeated twice by Southern Connecticut State in Northeast-10 Conference play at Pelz Field. SCSU won the first game, 3-1, and took the second as well, 5-2. Junior right-hander Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H.) tossed a complete game without allowing an earned run for Franklin Pierce in the first game.

With the losses, Franklin Pierce falls to 13-24 (8-16 Northeast-10), while Southern Connecticut State improves to 31-9 (19-3 Northeast-10) with the wins.

In the first game, Southern Connecticut State jumped to a 3-0 lead it would never relinquish in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, back-to-back singles by senior catcher Khristle Lee and senior shortstop Megan Caporossi put runners at first and second before senior pitcher Kerry Iacomini hit a ground ball but reached on a fielder's choice as Franklin Pierce failed to record an out on the play. With the bases loaded, sophomore left fielder Alyssa Pagano flew out to left field, but an error by the right fielder allowed Lee to score while the other runners moved up a base. Freshman second baseman Kristin Whitley then provided the big blow of the inning with a two-run double.

Franklin Pierce picked up a run in the top of the sixth inning to create the 3-1 final. Freshman shortstop Aimee Lamoureux (East Brookfield, Mass.) led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore center fielder Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) and later scored on an RBI single by Furtado.

Johnson went to the circle and took a tough-luck loss (5-11) in the first game for Franklin Pierce. Over six innings, she allowed three unearned runs on six hits, walked two and struck out three.

Iacomini started and picked up the win (10-0) for Southern Connecticut State. Over four innings of shutout ball, she allowed three hits and struck out three. Sophomore Jayme Larson recorded the final two outs of the game to record her fourth save of the season.

In the second game, SCSU opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Whitley led off with a double, moved to third on an error. Freshman first baseman Meryl Ragaini reached base on an error, but picked up an RBI as the ground ball drove home Whitley. Franklin Pierce was able to avoid any further damage in the inning, thanks in part to SCSU surrendering an out by batting out of turn.

Franklin Pierce briefly tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Lamoureux led off the inning with a double into right-center. Bilafer followed with a walk and junior second baseman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass.) provided a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Lamoureux would then come in to score while Furtado grounded into a double play.

Southern Connecticut State would take the lead for good at 3-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior center fielder Julianne Flood led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice. She then scored on a two-run home run to right field by Ragaini.

The Owls would extend the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run home run to center field by Iacomini, who was serving as designated player in the second game.

Franklin Pierce picked up a run in the top of the sixth inning to close the final gap to 5-2. After a single to left by Bilafer, Griffin bounced into a fielder's choice which saw Bilafer erased at second. Griffin moved to second on a single to center by Furtado and moved to third on a single to center by sophomore third baseman Meaghan O'Neal (Littleton, Mass.) which loaded the bases. Junior right fielder Nicole Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) then hit into a fielder's choice, but picked up an RBI as Griffin came home to score on the play.

Sophomore right-hander Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) took the ball and took the loss (6-8) for Franklin Pierce in the second game. In five innings of work, she allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked one and struck out one.

After picking up the save in the first game, Larson came back and tossed a complete game to pick up the win (12-5) in the second game. She allowed two runs on six hits, walked one and struck out one.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, April 27, when they travel to Massachusetts Lowell for a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at River View Field in Lowell, Mass.