Furtado drives in two runs in game two; Bilafer blasts RBI triple

GAME 1 BOXSCORE

GAME 2 BOXSCORE

WALTHAM, Mass. (April 11, 2011) -- The Franklin Pierce University softball team split its doubleheader with Bentley on Monday, dropping game one by a score of 3-2, but rebounding to win game two by a count of 7-3 in Waltham, Mass. The Ravens moved to 4-18 overall and 2-8 in the Northeast-10, while Bentley moved to 10-10 and 3-7 in league play.

The Ravens pounded out 10 hits in game two, with the biggest one being an RBI triple from Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) during a three-run first inning. Bilafer drove in Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass.), who led off the game with a walk. Bilafer would score a batter later when Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) stroked a run-scoring single to right field. Wiley would score later in the frame after the Ravens loaded the bases, and Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to force in a run.

Bentley countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, but Franklin Pierce pushed another run across in the second inning, this time on an Ashley Noke (Cumberland, R.I.) RBI single, scoring Griffin on the play. Griffin scored twice in game two, which came one day after she became the program's all-time leader in career hits.

Meghan Carter tripled to lead off the third for Bentley and would score on a passed ball to bring the Falcons to within a run at 4-3. But the Ravens, again, had an answer and scored once in the fifth and twice in the seventh to seal the win. Baxter singled with one out in the fifth and scored on Jessica Furtado's (Taunton, Mass.) RBI single. Furtado would drive in another run in the seventh with a single and the Ravens' final run came off an RBI sacrifice fly from Nicole Pratt (Gardner, Mass.).

Jess Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) got the start in the circle, but did not get out of the first inning after she recorded just one out and yielded two runs. Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H.) came on in relief and earned the win after yielding just one run on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

The game two win was a satisfying finish for the Ravens as they began the day with tough 3-2 setback to the Falcons. The game started well for Franklin Pierce as Griffin led off the contest with a triple, but her teammates could not bring her home during the frame.

Bentley took advantage and scored in the bottom half of the inning when Carter singled back through the middle of the infield, scoring Stephanie Kasson, who led off the frame with a base hit.

Franklin Pierce knotted the score at 1-1 in the third on Bilafer's RBI single, but the Falcons went back on top in bottom of the frame after Kasson singled and eventually scored on a Ravens' throwing error.

The Ravens wouldn't go away and tied it again in the sixth when Jamie Wiley tripled and scored on a sac fly by Meaghan O'Neal (Littleton, Mass.). But, Franklin Pierce could not take the lead and Bentley plated a run in the seventh to earn the win.

Johnson took the loss for Franklin Pierce as she pitched 6.1 innings, yielding three runs (two earned) on 12 hits with one strikeout and three walks.

Tara Fogarty got the win for Bentley as she pitched a complete game, striking out five, walking just one, and giving up just two runs on six hits.

The Ravens return to action Tuesday when they travel to North Andover, Mass. to face Merrimack 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/FranklinPierceAthletics).