Softball Shuts Out Saint Rose Twice in Doubleheader Sweep on Saturday
Rachel Baxter drives in two in game two win; oustanding pitching performances from Jessica Wiley and Kayla Johnson
ALBANY, N.Y. (April 16, 2011) -- The Franklin Pierce University softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep over Saint Rose on Saturday afternoon at Cummings Haker Field in Albany, N.Y. The Ravens shut out the Golden Knights in both games, winning game one by a 2-0 count and game two by a 4-0 decision. Franklin Pierce improved to 7-21 overall and 5-11 in the Northeast-10, while Saint Rose fell to 7-18 and 3-11 in league play.
Senior pitcher Kayla Johnson (Hudson, N.H.) was the story in game one as she went all seven innings, while scattering five hits and striking out four. She earned the win to run her record to 5-8 on the season.
Her counterpart, St. Rose's Nicole Traylor, took the loss to fall to 4-5 after she also went all seven innings and gave up two runs on six hits. She did strike out four batters, while not allowing a walk.
Franklin Pierce got to Traylor in the sixth inning and scored both of its runs in the frame. Nicole Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) got the inning started as she smacked a one-out double to left-center field. Emily Griffin (Leominster, Mass.) followed and blasted a double down the left-field line, which brought home Pratt for the game's first run. Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) then stroked a single, and an error by Saint Rose, allowed both Bilafer and Griffin to advance to second and third base, respectively. A few batters later, Ashley Noke (Cumberland, R.I.) reached via another Golden Knights' error, which enabled Griffin to come home on the miscue.
Saint Rose did try to claw back in the bottom of the seventh as it loaded the bases with just one out. However, Rachel Reed hit into a fielder's choice, and on the play, Olivia Reeves was thrown out at home to prevent the run from scoring. Still, the Golden Knights had the bases loaded, but Johnson induced Stephanie Gaska into a flyout to end the threat and seal the win for the Ravens.
The momentum from that late-game victory carried over into game two for Franklin Pierce, both offensively and defensively, as the Ravens produced a 4-0 victory.
Jessica Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) took to the pitching circle for the Ravens and worked all seven innings to earn the win and raise her record to 2-10 on the year. Wiley turned in an outstanding performance as she scattered four hits over the seven innings, while striking out six and walking just two batters.
Mikayla Wells started for Saint Rose and took the loss while going just 4.0 innings, yielding three runs on three hits with four walks.
Franklin Pierce roughed up Wells in the fourth with a pair of runs. Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) walked to lead off the frame and Noke moved her to second with a bunt single. Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.) advanced both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt, and Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass.) brought them home with a triple to right-center.
The Ravens added to their lead in the fifth as they plated a run to make it 3-0. Bilafer walked to lead off the frame, stole second, advanced to third on a poor throw, and came home on Baxter's RBI double to center field.
Baxter gave the Ravens an insurance run in the seventh as she doubled home Jamie Wiley, who had reached via a fielder's choice earlier in the frame.
Franklin Pierce concludes its two-day swing through the Empire state on Sunday when the Ravens head to Syracuse, N.Y., to face Le Moyne in a doubleheader beginning at 12 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).