No. 21 Softball
The Franklin Pierce softball team earned a national ranking for the first time in program history last week, debuting at No. 24 in Division II in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll. This week, the Ravens climbed to No. 21 in the nation, marking the highest ranking in program history.
The Ravens are currently undefeated in Northeast 10 Conference play and 24-2 overall.
FPU opened their home series with SCSU plating runs in three consecutive innings. Danica Nielsen (Oceanside, Calif.) delivered a two-run single, while Camryn Van Valkenburgh (San Dimas, Calif.) added an inside-the-park home run to power a 9-1, five-inning victory. In the circle, Kennedy Morris (Stafford, Conn.) was sharp, allowing just two hits while striking out six.
In Game 2, the Ravens broke things open late, erupting for eight runs in the sixth inning to turn a deficit into an 8-2 win. Maisie Lerette (New Gloucester, Maine) evened the score with a two-run triple before Nielsen (Oceanside, Calif.) followed with an RBI single. Delaney Duford (Concord) capped the rally with a three-run triple. Georgia Clough (Barriere, B.C.) tossed a complete game, striking out 10 while allowing just four hits.
On Saturday, Alicia Ott (Stockton, Calif.) came through in the clutch, delivering a walk-off two-run double in the seventh inning to secure a 6-5 victory. Franklin Pierce completed the sweep in the finale with a 4-1 win, fueled by two RBIs from Van Valkenburgh (San Dimas, Calif.) and a strong relief outing from Clough (Barriere, B.C.), who struck out six.
The Ravens return home on Wednesday to host Assumption for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Baseball
Franklin Pierce battled through a tough weekend on the road against Adelphi, dropping four games in Northeast 10 Conference play in Garden City, New York.
The Ravens (9-16, 7-10 NE10) showed flashes offensively throughout the series. Rafael Rodriguez Rosa (Meriden, Conn.) led the way on Saturday, going 2-for-2 with a home run in Game 2, while the team put together a four-run third inning to spark momentum.
On Sunday, Franklin Pierce jumped out to early leads in both contests, including an RBI single from Shane Starr (Moretown, Vt.) in the finale. Curt Boyd (Braintree, Mass.) added a double for the team’s lone extra-base hit of the day. On the mound, Cage Thompson (East Corinth, Vt.) delivered 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, and Tommy Sullivan (Plymouth, Mass.) turned in a solid six-inning outing.
The Ravens return home this weekend to host cross-state rival SNHU, with doubleheaders scheduled for Saturday and Sunday beginning at 12 p.m.
Track and Field
The Franklin Pierce track and field team had a strong showing at the Jim Sheehan Invite on Saturday.
Jah’rece Matthews (Roosevelt, N.Y.) broke the program record in the discus with a throw of 45.72 meters, finishing second and recording the top mark in the NE10, while Elizabeth Jones (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) also set a new program record in the pole vault with a clearance of 3.20 meters.
On the track, Declan Morgan (West Springfield, Mass.) led a sweep of the 10,000 meters with a winning time of 33:34.77, while Issys Price (Brockton, Mass.) won the 100 meters in 12.12 and ran on the first-place 4×100 relay.
Freshman standouts Trevor Maheu (Canaan) and Mimi Ortiz (Nashua) also impressed, with Maheu placing third in the 10,000 meters (35:09.05) and Ortiz winning the 100-meter hurdles in a personal-best 14.93 while also contributing to the winning relay team.
Tennis
Franklin Pierce tennis picked up two conference wins over Bentley on Monday. The women’s team earned a 7-0 sweep, winning every match in dominant fashion, while the men secured their first NE10 victory of the season with a 5-2 win behind a doubles sweep and four singles victories.
Both teams play at Assumption, Saturday.
In other local news
Sophomore goalie Sean Cote (Goffstown) has been a key presence in net for the Franklin Pierce men’s lacrosse team this season. The Goffstown Area High School product has appeared in eight games, recording 97 saves while averaging over 12 saves per game. Cote turned in a season-high 18 saves against nationally ranked Assumption and added 17 saves against Bentley.
Senior midfielder Erin McIlroy (Newfields) continues to lead the Franklin Pierce women’s lacrosse offense, pacing the team in scoring while ranking second in the NE10 in goals per game. McIlroy has recorded multiple standout performances this season, including a seven-goal, nine-point effort against AIC and a six-goal outing against Adelphi.
For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, visit FPUravens.com.