RINDGE, N.H (March 21, 2016) – Senior catcher Morgan Cahill (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) cracked an RBI double over the head of the right fielder in the bottom of the fifth on Tuesday afternoon for what would stand as the game-winning run for the Franklin Pierce University softball team at the Bisaccia Softball Complex. Senior right-hander Tricia Hansen (Mansfield, Mass.) battled her way to a complete-game victory in the circle, as the Ravens downed Saint Anselm, 6-5, in their Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division opener.

With this victory Franklin Pierce University advances to 5-8 (1-0 Northeast-10, 1-0 Northeast Division). Saint Anselm falls to 4-11 (0-3 Northeast-10, 0-1 Northeast Division).

The bats were strong in the first inning for both the Hawks and the Ravens. In the top of the first, Saint Anselm scored its first three runs after a pair of doubles by senior third basemen Pattie Turner and freshman left fielder Karoline Leavitt. The first double by Turner drove senior right fielder Emily Crannell home, after she had reached base from a single earlier in the inning. Leavitt's double drove in two runs after designated player senior Julie LeClair was walked, and Turner ran to home plate as well.

The three runs by the Hawks would be answered by the Ravens in the bottom of the first, as the latter scored four runs on only two hits, thanks to a pair of Saint Anselm errors. Senior shortstop Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) would be walked in by freshman pitcher Arika Brochu, and senior third basemen Erin Wood (Dover, N.Y.) would score on a wild pitch. With two runs in, the Ravens still had two runners on base. Sophomore centerfielder Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) would run home from third on a passed ball to make the score 3-3. The final run of the inning would come from Cahill, who singled to left field, which resulted in sophomore right fielder Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.) running home to make the score 4-3.

The Hawks would tie the game at four in the top of the second, after sophomore first basemen Shannon McLaughlin ran home while freshman shortstop Jordan O'Connor was caught stealing second, after singling to left center. The Ravens would score another run in the bottom of the third, after a double by Cortese sent Wood home. The Wood run put Franklin Pierce up, 5-4.

Saint Anselm would answer the one run with a solo home run to left field by LeClair, which landed well beyond the fence and resulted in a tie game. The long ball was LeClair's second of the season.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth. After Cortese was walked, Cahill hit a double to right field sending Cortese all the way home to score the final run of the game. The Ravens would finish the game victorious in a 6-5 win.

Hansen (5-1) went the distance for the Ravens, allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out three, against a pair of walks.

Brochu started, threw the first 2.1 innings, allowed five runs (one earned) and gave up five hits without factoring in the decision. Junior pitcher Sam Hennequin (1-6) had six strikeouts and allowed only one run and one hit with one walk over the final 3.2 innings, but took the loss.

The softball team will be on its home diamond again on Friday, March 25 at 4 p.m. against Assumption College in a Conference showdown.

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).