RINDGE, N.H. (April 20, 2012) -- The Franklin Pierce
University softball team was swept by Saint Rose in a Friday
doubleheader, including by scores of 8-5 and 3-0. The Ravens fell
to 9-28 overall and 7-21 in the Northeast-10, while the Golden
Knights improved to 14-27 and 10-18 in league play.
The first game featured a barrage
of runs, including a four-run third inning by the Ravens to knot
the score at 4-4. The long ball was the highlight of the frame for
Franklin Pierce as junior Jessica Furtado (Taunton,
Mass.) and freshman Laura Eidam (Stamford,
Conn.) each ripped a two-run homer to spark the Ravens.
Furtado's blast, her fifth of the season, brought home freshman
Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.), who reached on a
fielder's choice earlier in the frame. Eidam's shot also scored
senior Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.), who drew
a walk following Furtado's homer.
Franklin Pierce freshman pitcher
Jessica Colson (Feeding Hills, Mass.), who came on
in relief earlier in the contest, responded by retiring Saint Rose
in order in the fourth inning.
Colson was in a good rhythm heading
into the fifth inning, but the Golden Knights were able to break it
as they pushed across three runs to regain the lead at 7-4. Jess
Butterbrodt and Valerie Nelson each stroked RBI singles, while
Rachel Reed collected an RBI with a long sacrifice fly to left
field.
The Ravens tried to respond in the
fifth and put runners on second and third with only one out, but
Saint Rose pitcher Sarah Arbogast was able to get the next two
batters to end the threat.
The Golden Knights tacked on an
insurance run in the sixth with an RBI double from Stephanie Luce.
Franklin Pierce, again, tried to rally in the seventh, and pushed a
run across, but Baxter was thrown at third to end the rally.
Colson was tagged with the loss to
fall to 2-6 after yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits
over 3.0 innings of work. Arbogast got the win to improve to 5-11
after she went 4.1 innings of relief, yielding just one run on four
hits.
Saint Rose scored three runs in the
first inning and another in the third to open the scoring and take
a 4-0 lead.
Saint Rose used timely hitting and
strong pitching to earn the game-two victory. The Golden Knights
scored twice in the first inning when Reed singled home both
Melanie Gerace and Olivia Reeves, and they pushed another across in
the following frame when Kayla Kuilema smacked an RBI double,
scoring Reeves.
That was all the runs the Saint
Rose pitching duo of Courtney Galuski and Arbogast would need.
Galuski got the start in the circle and went the first four innings
and did not allow a hit with three strikeouts and one walk.
Arbogast pitched the final three innings and allowed just two hits
to cap the victory. Galuski earned the win to even her record at
4-4.
Colson started and last two innings and was saddled with the loss
to fall to 2-7.
Franklin Pierce returns to action
Saturday when the Ravens play host to Le Moyne in a doubleheader
beginning at 2 p.m.
For more information on Franklin
Pierce softball, please visit the team's page at
athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further,
please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube
(www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter
(www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook
(www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens).
