Franklin Pierce Splits a Pair at Tucson Games
Ravens earn first victory of the year over Manchester, 8-0, then drop 9-5 game to Doane
Boxscore vs.
Manchester
Boxscore vs.
Doane
Stephanie Howard slugged 2-for-2
with a homer, a double and drove in five runs on Tuesday against
Manchester.
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TUCSON, Ariz. (March 18,
2008) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team
earned a two-game split on its third day of the Tucson Invitational
Games on Tuesday morning at Lincoln Park. The Ravens won their
first game of the season in the day’s first matchup, an 8-0
victory over Manchester (Ind.) College, before dropping a 9-5
decision to Doane (Neb.) College in their second game of the
day.
Junior Stephanie Howard (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk)
had a career day to pace the Raven attack on Tuesday, going a
combined 4-for-6 with a home run, two doubles and seven runs batted
in. Senior captain Kate Surgen (Southampton,
Mass./Hampshire Regional) also had a good day for the
Ravens, getting four hits in eight at-bats with a pair of RBI.
Franklin Pierce 8, Manchester 0 (six innings)
Franklin Pierce caught its elusive first victory of the season
against Manchester, as the Ravens pounded out 12 hits on their way
to a six-inning mercy-rule victory, 8-0.
Howard was the offensive star for Franklin Pierce against the
Spartans, going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double and five runs
batted in. The junior provided all the offense that freshman hurler
Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) would need in
her first two at-bats, as she doubled home a pair of runs in the
second inning before smacking a three-run homer in the third. Her
five RBI also tie a program record for a single game, last achieved
by Lori Oleskewicz against UMass Lowell on April 26, 1996.
Surgen also went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while junior Elaine
Matthews (Roslindale, Mass./ Archbishop Williams) went
3-for-4 with a double, recording three hits for the second
consecutive game.
Johnson shut down the Manchester offense in her six innings of
work, ceding only two hits while striking out four in a
complete-game effort. Johnson (1-1) earned her first collegiate
victory and first career shutout against the Spartans.
Kate Surgen hit 2-for-4 and drove
in a run against Doane on Tuesday.
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Doane 9, Franklin Pierce
5
The Ravens jumped out to a 4-0 lead after half an inning against
Doane in their second game of the day, but the Tigers picked up two
in the second and six in the fourth to take a 9-5 win.
Howard and Surgen again played a role in the Raven offense, as
Surgen drove in one and Howard drove in two in the first inning.
Howard ended the day 2-for-4 with a two-run double, while Surgen
also had two hits in four at-bats with one run batted in.
Junior righthander Courtney Jacobs (Fitchburg,
Mass./Fitchburg) made the start for Franklin Pierce,
giving up eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in four innings
of work. Jacobs (0-3) also struck out two and walked three during
her outing before ceding the circle to freshman Caitlin
Beagan (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim), who gave up one run while
striking out two over the final two innings.
Franklin Pierce (1-5, 0-0 NE-10) takes a day off tomorrow before
returning to action in Tucson on Thursday, when the team faces
battles Hastings College at 8:30 a.m. and Midland Lutheran College
at 12:30 p.m. local time. Manchester (2-3) takes on Eastern
Connecticut State University and UMass Boston tomorrow, while Doane
(6-3) takes the field next on March 27 for a doubleheader against
Nebraska Wesleyan University.