Allen and Adee turn in complete-game wins by each allowing a
run on four hits
COLCHESTER, Vt. (April 24, 2013) -- The Franklin Pierce
University softball team for the second time this season on
Wednesday swept a doubleheader from Saint Michael's. Wednesday's
satisfying sweep came on the road in Colchester, Vt., as the Ravens
exploded late for a 5-1 win in game one and then clipped the Purple
Knights, 2-1, in game two at Doc Jacobs Field. Franklin Pierce
improved to 8-26 overall and 5-19 in the Northeast-10 (4-12
Northeast Division), while St. Mike's fell to 2-37 and 2-24 in
league play (2-16 NE Div).
The Ravens got a pair of
complete-game performances from senior Rachel Allen (Hull,
Mass.) in the first game and freshman Mandi Adee
(Kinderhook, N.Y.) in the second game. Each hurler, ironically,
yielded one run on only four hits in their respective starts. Allen
improved to 5-9 on the year, while Adee raised her mark to 3-5.
Allen faced the minimum number of
batters over the first four innings, including getting out of a jam
in the first by inducing Bethany Falls to line into an inning
ending double play. She retired the Purple Knights in order in the
second and induced them into another inning ending double play in
the third. Allen once again set down St. Mike's in order in the
fourth, including getting the Purple Knights to hit a pair of
harmless ground outs.
With Allen being dominant in the
pitching circle, the Ravens' bats finally broke through with five
runs over the final two innings, including a trio of them in the
sixth to go up 3-0. Sam Conners (Jackson, N.J.)
and Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.) smacked
back-to-back RBI doubles to left field, while the latter came home
to score later in the frame on an RBI single down the right field
line from Karissa Forzese (Methuen, Mass.).
Franklin Pierce tacked on a pair of
insurance runs in the top of the seventh as Melissa Morgan
(Clifton Park, N.Y.) reached on an error and eventually
came around to score on a wild pitch. Dean added a second RBI to
her total with another double to left field, which scored Conners,
who walked the previous at-bat.
St. Mike's plated a run in the
seventh, but Allen kept the Purple Knights at bay in not pulling
off a comeback.
Adee was more than up to the challenge of equaling Allen's
accomplishments in the second game. She retired seven of the first
eight batters she faced, but got into some trouble in the bottom of
the third when Amanda Brigante laced a run-scoring single back
through the middle of the infield, scoring Carleen McLaughlin on
the play.
Adee didn't fold and kept Saint
Michael's silent in both the fourth and fifth innings before
Franklin Pierce's bats awoke for a pair of runs in the sixth. With
one out in the frame, Morgan blasted a double and Ashley
Noke (Cumberland, R.I.) followed with a single and both
players came around to score later on a St. Mike's error.
The two runs were enough for Adee
over the final two innings and she avoided a small crisis in the
seventh by inducing a double play to seal the win for the
Ravens.
Tricia Hansen (Mansfield,
Mass.) had three hits on the day, including a pair in the
second game.
Stephanie Frank took the loss in
the circle in game one for St. Mike's, while Jessica Niles suffered
the loss in game two.
Franklin Pierce returns to action
Thursday when the Ravens travel to Easton, Mass. to take on
Stonehill in a doubleheader beginning at 3 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). Fans wishing to purchase
Franklin Pierce softball apparel can do so on the athletic
department's online store at
athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)
