RINDGE, N.H. (April 2, 2015) – Junior Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) sent everyone home happy on Thursday night, as she was able to beat out an infield hit, her only hit of the day, to shortstop and give the Franklin Pierce University Ravens a win in game two, 2-1 over the Merrimack College Warriors at Bisaccia Memorial Softball Complex. The Ravens dropped game one of the doubleheader 4-1 at the hands of a 7^th inning rally from the Warriors.

The Ravens now begin their season with a 1-1 record (1-1 Northeast-10), while Merrimack moves to 7-12 (1-1 Northeast-10).

After a month of anticipation, the Ravens were finally able to take the field for the first time in 2015 on Thursday night, and things began nothing short of dull. Game one featured a pitching duel from the get-go between junior Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.) and Haley Currie, as the counterparts mowed through their respective lineups, sprinkling in hits but without facing any serious pressure. Neither pitcher allowed a base runner past second base, except for a leadoff triple by Hansen in the first off of Currie, until the sixth inning.

That's when things broke open, as the Ravens drew first blood in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) drove a 1-2 pitch over the left center field wall for her first collegiate home run, also her first collegiate hit, in clutch fashion to lead off the inning. The Ravens would threaten Merrimack after both junior Erin Wood (Dover Plains, N.Y.) and graduate student Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) would reach base, but neither would come around to score.

Only three outs away from winning their opening game of the season, Merrimack dashed those hopes when Lindsay Gibbs and Jennifer Post hit back-to-back home runs off of Hansen to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead over the Ravens. After a move to the bullpen, Merrimack would tack on two more runs and send all nine batters to the plate in the inning. The Ravens were unable to respond, going 1-2-3 in the ninth for the defeat.

Game two brought much of the same characteristics, as a pitching duel ensued between junior Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.) and Courtney Zambello. However, this game provided more defense and battles at the plate, leading to higher pitch counts on both sides.

Again, lighting would not strike until the sixth inning after a scoreless five frames to begin the game. The Warriors would be the first to make noise on the scoreboard, as Becca Armstrong opened up the inning off of Adee with a double to the right field gap. The next batter, Lindsay Gibbs, would again make her mark on the series with an identical double to the right field gap, scoring pinch runner Abby Desrosiers from second giving Merrimack the 1-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the inning with one out, the Ravens would respond with the long ball once more, as Wiley would make her mark on a perfect batting day, lining a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall to the score at 1-1.

After Adee was able to stand runners at second and third in the top of the seventh, the Ravens came to bat with a chance to win it. With one out, senior Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.) would draw a walk, bringing her now six behind the program record, and beginning the rally. Hansen would proceed to draw a walk, putting runners at first and second for Sorenson. After a ball in the dirt, Dean would get an extremely good read and break for third. The throw would prove to be just late, as Dean would swipe the bag while Hansen would move to second, setting up only a fly ball to win the game. Despite the gutsy base running, reliever Alexis Perry would strike out Sorenson, bringing up Caputo with two out and a chance to win the game. Her slow ground ball to short would be located just good enough to beat the throw and allow Dean to score for the 2-1 win.

Wiley was the most impressive, going 5-5 on the day with two singles, two doubles, and the home run, and also reaching on a hit by pitch.

Hansen would take the game one loss, while Currie would take the win improving her record to 4-3 on the year. In game two, it would be Adee grabbing the victory making her record 1-0, while handing the loss to Courtney Zambello making her record 0-4 on the year.

The Ravens return to the field tomorrow, April 4 for yet another double header against Merrimack at Bisaccia Memorial Softball Complex.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce softball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).