RBI single by freshman gives Ravens come-from-behind win

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (May 1, 2010) – Freshman shortstop Aimee Lamoureux (East Brookfield, Mass.) hit a game-winning single to cap a three-run bottom of the seventh on Saturday afternoon as the Franklin Pierce University softball team rallied for a 5-4 victory over Assumption in the second game of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at Franklin Pierce Softball Field. Earlier in the day, junior first baseman Amy Gordon went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run to lead Assumption to a 10-1, six-inning win in the first game.

With the split, Franklin Pierce concludes its season at 15-28 (10-20 Northeast-10), while Assumption finishes the regular season at 22-18 (16-12 Northeast-10). The 10th Northeast-10 Conference victory of the season for Franklin Pierce tied a program record for conference wins, originally set in 2002.

Franklin Pierce capped the second game with a three-run, game-winning rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Junior second baseman Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass.) led off the inning and struck out, but reached first base on a passed ball in front of freshman designated player Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass.), who hit a single to put runners at first and second. Sophomore third baseman Meaghan O'Neal (Littleton, Mass.) then dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up and push the tying run into scoring position. Junior right fielder Nicole Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) pulled the Ravens within one run with an RBI single before a walk to sophomore first baseman Keryn Shannon (Dracut, Mass.) loaded the bases.

With the bases full, sophomore catcher Jamie Verner (Natick, Mass.) worked a walk to drive home the tying run. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, the stage was set for Lamoureux. She came through with her first hit of the afternoon to drive home Pratt and send the Ravens away winners.

Earlier in the second game, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Furtado in the bottom of the first, before Assumption jumped to a 3-1 lead with two runs in the top of the second and one in the third. In the second, it was senior catcher Erin Murphy and junior left fielder Bernadette Fuentes who each had an RBI single, while Gordon drove home a run with a double into the gap in right-center in the third.

Franklin Pierce closed to within a run at 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Pratt walked, moved to third on a double by Shannon and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Verner. Assumption would add a run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Ashley Bilodeau to make it 4-2 before the seventh-inning rally by the Ravens.

Sophomore right-hander Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) threw a complete game to pick up the win (7-9) in the second game for Franklin Pierce. She allowed four runs on eight hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out one.

Sophomore right-hander Chelsea Durso started and did not factor in the decision of Assumption. Over five innings of work, she allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out four. Sophomore right-hander Jennifer Lowrey took the loss (12-7) out of the bullpen for the Greyhounds. In 1.2 innings, she allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits, walked three and struck out two.

Earlier in the day, Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the first game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Griffin and Furtado clubbed back-to-back doubles to left field, with the latter driving home the former to stake the Ravens to a 1-0 lead.

However, Assumption would surge to a 6-1 lead with one run in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth. In the second, Fuentes punched an RBI single to center. In the third, Gordon had the big blow of the day with a three-run home run, her fifth of the season. In the fourth, freshman second baseman Lauren Medeiros drove home a run with a sacrifice fly, while Gordon has an RBI single.

The Greyhounds would pick up four more in the top of the sixth to make it 10-1 and bring the eight-run rule into effect when Franklin Pierce could not answer in the bottom of the inning. In the inning, Medeiros clubbed an RBI triple to right, Bilodeau had a run-scoring single and Fuentes drove home a pair with a double to right.

Junior right-hander Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H.) started in the circle and took the loss (6-13) in the first game for Franklin Pierce. Over three-plus innings, she allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits, walked three and struck out two.

Lowrey went the distance to pick up the win (12-6 after the first game) for Assumption. She allowed one run on four hits, did not issue a walk and struck out 12.