Stryker becomes program's career hit leader with four hit afternoon

Junior Courtney Marchand knocked in three runs for the Skyhawks in their game one victory over the Ravens.

EASTON, Mass. (April 3, 2012) – The Stonehill College softball team earned a Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) doubleheader sweep over Franklin Pierce University, 7-3 and 6-3, in its home opener on Tuesday evening at Fr. William Gartland, CSC, Field.

With her three hits in game one, senior Chelsea Stryker (Baldwin, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) became the program's career hit leader, surpassing the previous record of 169 set by Jennifer McBride between 1998-2001. She finished with 171 hits in 102 career games. Stryker set the school's single-season hits mark with 63 during her junior season.

Stonehill 7, Franklin Pierce 3

Sophomore Lindsay McKillop (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) earned the win on four-and-two-thirds innings pitched, four hits, three runs (all earned), two walks and two strikeouts. Senior Kellie Reardon (Burlington, Mass./Arlington Catholic) finished the final two-and-two-thirds innings to notch her first save of the season, yielding just one hit, no runs, one walk and one strikeout.

Freshman Kaitlyn Johnson (New Boston, N.H./Goffstown) was handed the loss on three-and-one-thirds innings pitched, nine hits and six runs (three earned).

Stonehill claimed a 6-0 lead over the first four innings of play highlighted by a two-run single from junior centerfielder Courtney Marchand (Raymond, N.H./Timberlane Regional) in the second and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Junior first baseman Nicole Eisenmann (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater) also drove in a run in the fourth with a single up the middle plating Chelsea Stryker from third base.

Senior centerfielder Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) cut the deficit in half in the top of the fifth inning with a three-run homer to left centerfield to make it 6-3.

The Skyhawks responded with an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame with a fielder's choice RBI off the bat of junior left fielder Kaitlin Miller (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) for a 7-3 lead.

Stryker went 3-for-4 with two runs scored to pace the offense out of the leadoff spot while Marchand was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. Sophomore Brianna Gunter (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Miller was 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.

Junior Kelsey Wilcox went 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI's in game two for Stonehill.

Stonehill 6, Franklin Pierce 3

Senior Samantha Krantz (Hampton Bays, N.Y./Hampton Bays) improved to 7-3 on the season throwing five-and-two-thirds innings, giving up five hits, three runs (all earned), one walk and a game-high six strikeouts. Freshman Julianne Meehan (Groveland, Mass./Pentucket Regional) pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing one hit, one walk and recorded one strikeout. Reardon picked up her second save of the day on two-thirds of an inning, one walk and one strikeout.

Junior Rachel Allen (Hull, Mass./Hull) suffered the loss on six innings pitched, eight hits, six runs (four earned), one walk and one strikeout.

Eisenmann gave Stonehill an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a run-producing single down the right field line plating Stryker, who singled to lead off the frame and advanced to second base on a sac bunt before scoring.

Stonehill increased its advantage to 6-0 in the third inning as McKillop and junior catcher Kelsey Wilcox (Canterbury, Conn./Griswold) both connected for two-run doubles to left field. Wilcox scored the final run of the inning on a fielder's choice by Gunter.

Senior catcher Jamie Verner (Natick, Mass./Natick) belted a solo homer to centerfield in the fifth inning to make it a 6-1 contest and junior designated player Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) crushed a two-run shot to left field in the sixth inning to cut the gap to 6-3.

The Ravens threatened in the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded and one out, but Reardon recorded a strikeout swinging and a fly out to wrap up the sweep for the Skyhawks.

Stonehill's 3-4-5 hitters all collected multi-hit games as Eisenmann went 2-for-2 with one run scored and one RBI while McKillop and Wilcox posted similar lines of 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI.

Stonehill (15-7, 8-6 NE-10) travel to Southern New Hampshire University for a NE-10 doubleheader with game one scheduled for 4 p.m. Franklin Pierce (9-14, 7-7 NE-10) hosts Assumption College for a twinbill with game one starting at 3 p.m.