BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (April 19, 2015) – Junior Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) collected a team high five hits in two games on Sunday afternoon, but the offense left a total of 22 baserunners over the course of 14 total innings as the Franklin Pierce University Ravens softball team was swept in two games by the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights by final scores of 4-3 and 7-6 in non-conference play.

With the losses, the Ravens drop to 5-16 overall (5-13 Northeast-10), while Bridgeport improves to 11-29 overall on the season.

The opening inning in game one brought runs, something that would not come as often as the game went along. The Ravens struck first with two runs as freshman Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) led the game off with a single, and would move to third on an error after the at-bat by senior Alicia Dean (Danvers, Mass.). The two of them would combine for stolen bases, as Sorenson snagged home to give Franklin Pierce the 1-0 lead. Dean would eventually score on an RBI double by freshman Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.).

Bridgeport would respond by tying the game in the bottom of the first, as a walk and wild pitch by freshman Jenna Rodriguez (New Egypt, N.J.) contributed to a tie game at 2-2. Ultimately, Bridgeport would take the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run home run by Ashley Hessler to give the Purple Knights a 4-2 lead.

That score would remain intact until the top of the seventh, as Dean would lead off the inning with a walk, followed by a double by graduate student Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.). Dean would be the only one to score in the inning after a two-out single by junior Erin Wood (Dover Plains, N.Y.).

Game two brought more fire power from both dugouts, as the Ravens came out firing on all cylinders. Franklin Pierce grabbed two runs in the top of the first inning as Sorenson and Wiley were issued free passed via a walk and hit by pitch. Sorenson would cross the plate on an RBI groundout by Cortese, while Wiley would score on an RBI single by junior Morgan Cahill (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) making the score 2-0.

The second inning brought more goodies for the Ravens, as they were able to add three more runs. Caputo would reach on an error to start the inning, followed by a string on singles by senior Karissa Forzese (Methuen, Mass.), junior Melissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.), and Sorenson. Morgan would grab an RBI by scoring Caputo, while a sacrifice fly by junior Julie Gallagher (Flanders, N.J.) would score Forzese. A single by Cortese would score Sorenson to wrap up the scoring for the Ravens for the time being, extending their lead to 5-0.

Bridgeport would grab two back in the bottom of the second via a sacrifice fly and RBI single, as the Purple Knights also did their part leaving baserunners stranded in the opening innings.

Cortese would replace starting pitcher Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.) in the circle after the first two innings, and would hold down the Purple Knights by tossing two scoreless innings before Adee came back to the game in the fifth inning.

The Ravens would tack on a run in the top of the sixth, as Gallagher would reach on an error, and score only a few batters later on yet another RBI single by Cahill making the score 6-2. However, the Ravens would leave the bases loaded, and it would come back to haunt them.

Then came the inning that nobody on the Ravens sideline wanted to see as the bottom of the seventh rolled around. Only three outs away from a win, the Ravens were only able to record one out in the inning, as the Purple Knights rode five walks, two singles, and an error to putting up five runs to take the win 7-6, as Adee would hit Paige Owens with the bases loaded to seal the win for the Purple Knights.

On the offensive side of the ball behind Caputo's five hits were four by Cortese, along with three by Sorenson.

Rodriguez would take the loss in game one, dropping her record to 0-3 on the season, while Alyssa Bua grabbed her fourth win of the season for Bridgeport. Taylor Hendrickson would grab her second save of the season for the Purple Knights as well. Adee would take her fourth loss of the season in game two, while Hendrickson grabbed the win in relief.

The Ravens return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 21 when they travel to Manchester, N.H. to take on Saint Anselm in a single game starting at 3 p.m.

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' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).