COLCHESTER, Vt. (April 19, 2016) – Hot bats for the Franklin Pierce University softball team led the Ravens to a doubleheader victory over Saint Michael's College on the road on Tuesday afternoon. The strong offense for the Ravens scored a total of 15 runs in the first game and 14 in the second, as they outscored the Purple Knights 29-5 over the two games. Franklin Pierce posted a 15-1, five-inning victory and a 14-9 triumph in the second game at Doc Jacobs Field.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 14-18 (9-9 Northeast-10, 9-9 Northeast Division), while Saint Michael's falls to 3-28 (2-18 Northeast-10, 1-15 Northeast Division). On Tuesday, the first game was a Northeast-10 Conference, Northeast Division contest, while the second game was a non-conference affair.

The first inning for the Ravens was strong in the first game, as they scored five of their 15 runs. After reaching first on a passed ball, freshman designated hitter Madison Ryan (Dracut, Mass.) was sent home on a home run to center field by sophomore second baseman Samantha Bonvino (Milford, Mass.). A pair of singles by senior shortstop Courtney Caputo (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and senior third baseman Erin Wood (Dover, N.Y.) put two on base. Caputo and Wood went home via a home run to center by sophomore right fielder Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.).

The Ravens would score three more runs in the top of the third inning. Two of those three were scored after Wood homered to center, bringing in Caputo. It was the first of three home runs in the doubleheader for Wood, who has eight home runs in the last nine games. The third run would be scored after a single by sophomore first baseman Aubrey Bianco (Marlboro, N.Y.), which sent home senior catcher Morgan Cahill (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.).

Saint Michael's answered the Ravens eight runs with one of their own on a double to left-center by senior third baseman Danielle DelGreco.

The offense belonged to the crimson and grey for the rest of the game. Wood's second home run of the game, in the top of the fourth, resulted in two more runs for the Ravens, making the score 10-1. The Ravens scored their next five runs in the top of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded after a triplet of singles, senior center fielder Melissa Morgan (Clifton Park, N.Y.) was walked to send in one of the five runs. A double by Caputo sent in two more runs for the Ravens, to make the score 13-1. Morgan scored following a groundout, and an error sent Caputo home to make the final score 15-1 in game one.

Senior pitcher Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.) earned her fifth win of the season (5-7), as she had one strikeout and allowed one run on eight hits over four innings.

Sophomore pitcher Danielle Brown had her 15th loss of the season (3-15) after allowing three home runs and seven runs (five earned) on five hits, walking one and striking out two over two innings.

In game two, the Ravens offense was strong again, but so were the bats of the Purple Knights. Saint Michael's scored one of its nine runs in the bottom of the first, after a groundout to the shortstop advanced freshman catcher Fallon Tierney home to give the Purple Knights a 1-0 lead. The team scored once again in the bottom of the second, after a solo shot by senior first baseman Judi Barcavage.

The Ravens scored one run in the top of the third, on a single by sophomore Abbigael Cook (Greenville, R.I.), which sent Bianco home after her double to right field.

A pair of home runs in the bottom of the third gave the Purple Knights three more runs to add to the lead, making it a 5-1 game.

The top of the fourth led to strong hitting by the Ravens. Wood hit her third home run of the day to begin an eight-run inning for the Ravens. Singles by Bonvino and sophomore center fielder Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.), along with a double by Cortese, led to two more runs for the Ravens. Back-to-back home runs by Bianco and Ryan led to three more runs for the Ravens to give them a 7-5 lead. However, the hits kept coming for Franklin Pierce. A pair of singles by Caputo and Cook led to a pitching change in the middle of the inning. Wood, with another hit in the inning, sent in the final run of the frame to make the score 9-5.

The Ravens would add three more runs in the top of the fifth inning. A triple by Bianco, followed by a single by Ryan, led to another run for the Ravens. Ryan, who stole second, would score on a double to right-center by Cook. Another pitching change came in the fifth for the Purple Knights, though it led to more runs for the Ravens. Caputo would single through the left side, resulting in Cook running home to make the score 12-5.

Tierney would have a solo shot to center field in the bottom of the fifth to result in another run for the Purple Knights, making the score 12-6.

Neither team would score again until the seventh and final inning of the game. The Ravens would add two more to their six-run lead after a single by Sorenson to left field drove in a pair for the Ravens, making the score 14-6.

The Purple Knights would try to fight back, scoring three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough. The Ravens would come home with a doubleheader sweep of Saint Michael's after the 14-9 victory.

Freshman pitcher Molly Feeney suffered her 11th loss of the season (0-1), as she gave up 12 hits and allowed nine runs while striking out three in 3.1 innings.

Freshman pitcher Abbie Paquette (Biddeford, Maine) earned her first win of the season (1-0), after throwing 3.2 innings of relief. She allowed two runs on five hits and struck out one.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, April 20, when they travel to New Haven for a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at UNH Softball Field in West Haven, Conn.

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).