RINDGE, N.H. – Eight Franklin Pierce fielding errors and a six-run seventh inning by the Hawks handed the Saint Anselm College softball team a two-game sweep at Bisaccia Softball Complex Wednesday afternoon, defeating the host Ravens 6-2 and 11-6.
The wins improve Saint Anselm to 15-4 overall and 7-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast division, also keeping pace with division-leader Southern New Hampshire. The Ravens, meanwhile, fell to 4-12 overall and 4-11 in divisional play.
Despite leaving 11 runners on base in the game, Saint Anselm scored half its runs in unearned fashion thanks to eight fielding errors by the host Ravens. Senior pitcher Tayla Trask (Lincoln, Maine) improved to 9-1 on the season with five strikeouts, one walk and just one earned run inside the circle.
Junior Julie LeClair (Taunton, Mass.) launched a two-run shot over the right field fence in the first inning to score junior Pattie Turner (Warwick, R.I.), getting the Hawks out to an early 2-0 lead. Franklin Pierce cut the lead in half on an RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the second, but Turner answered right back with a solo shot to lead off the third.
The Hawks added one in the fourth inning, as a LeClair single up the middle scored junior Emily Crannell (Wilmington, Mass.). Franklin Pierce had a runner reach third base in the home half of the fourth and fifth innings, but Trask froze the first batter and induced a popout to LeClair at second to get out of the innings unscathed.
With a 4-1 lead entering the seventh and the bases loaded, freshman Amanda Bickford (Salem, N.H.) dragged a perfect ball down the first baseline and beat the tag attempt to the bag, scoring senior Kasey Moran (Medford, Mass.) and freshman pinch runner Leah Hunt (Londonderry, N.H.).
The Ravens managed to push one across in the bottom of the seventh and had runners on first and second with one out, but Trask slammed the door shut with two consecutive strikeouts to seal the series-opening victory.
As the wind whipped through Bisaccia Field, the game two fireworks held off until the third inning. Crannell was issued a leadoff walk and Bickford reached base on a swinging bunt. Senior Hannah Byrne (Lynn, Mass.) then found the gap up the middle to tally her first RBI of the afternoon and an ensuing throw on Byrne's steal attempt went awry, scoring Bickford from third.
After Franklin Pierce responded with a two-RBI double up the middle to tie the game at 2-2 after three full innings, Saint Anselm responded with a three-run fourth to retake the lead. Moran pushed a leadoff single through the left side, junior Michaela Criscione (Franklin, Mass.) reached on an error and both runners moved up on a passed ball. Freshman Emily Barrett (Plaistow, N.H.) rocketed one right past the Raven hurler and into center to score Moran. After the Hawks hit into a tough double-play, Bickford pushed Criscione across with an RBI single just past the outstretched glove of the second baseman. Four pitches later, including two wild ones, Bickford increased the Hawks' lead to 5-2 after three and a half.
The Ravens responded by manufacturing three runs off a leadoff walk, two doubles and two singles to once again tie the game in the fifth. After a quick three outs in the top of the sixth, Franklin Pierce was in business with a leadoff double in the bottom of the inning. After bunting her over to third, the Ravens executed a suicide squeeze to perfection as the runner beat the tag to give the home team its first lead of the day.
That lead would be short-lived, however, as Saint Anselm offense erupted in the top of the seventh inning. LeClair led off with a single to left and Byrne pushed her to second with a bunt. Freshman Hannah Paitchel (Pelham, N.H.) then picked up perhaps the biggest hit of her career, an RBI single to right to score LeClair from second.
With the game tied, the proverbial wheels began to fall off the wagon for Pierce as a throwing error allowed Moran to get to second and Paitchel to reach third. A Criscione walk followed by another clutch Barrett RBI single scored the go-ahead run for the Hawks. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch by Crannell, followed by Bickford walk and a Turner two-RBI single that took a hop off the shortstop's collarbone gave the Hawks a five-run lead that would hand the Hawks a heart-stopping double-header sweep.
Sophomore pitcher Sam Hennequin (Auburn, N.H.) picked up her second win of the season in two innings of relief. Both Hennequin and senior hurler Paige Cormier (Rochester, N.H.) tallied a strikeout in the second game, combining for 10 hits given up.
Saint Anselm will complete a torrid week of play Thursday with a trek to Saint Michael's College for an afternoon twinbill. Thursday's matchups, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., will be the 10th and 11th games over the span of six days for the Hawks.
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