SPARKILL, N.Y. (March 6, 2018) – Just days before a nasty winter storm is supposed to bear down on Rindge, the Franklin Pierce University softball team hit the road for a non-conference doubleheader with Saint Thomas Aquinas College Tuesday and split the afternoon series with the Spartans. The Ravens took the opening game by an 8-1 margin before falling 7-1 to the hosts in the second contest.

Centerfielder Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) swung a hot bat in both contests going 3-for-5 (.600) at the dish with four RBI, two runs scored, a free pass and a stolen base. Freshman first basemen Bre Eastlick (Rocklin, Calif.) added a 4-for-6 (.667) showing with two doubles, three runs scored and one RBI. Classmate Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) was masterful in the circle for the Ravens as well.

Game One: Ravens 8, Spartans 1 (Final)

Zemaitis earned the start for FPU in game one and went the distance. The freshman righthander hurled her third complete game of the year allowing only four hits while punching out eight Spartans to move to 1-2 on the campaign. She gave up one run, a solo homer to STAC backstop Amanda Leone in the seventh inning.

Sorenson provided the offense going 2-for-2 with two runs scored, a walk, a stolen base and three RBI. Eastlick produced at the plate notching two hits in three at-bats including a two-bagger with two runs scored and an RBI. As a team, the Crimson and Grey stroked 12 hits in the contest, a season-high.

Eastlick began the contest by drilling a double and advancing to third off an error by the Spartan right fielder. Sorenson brought Eastlick home with a sacrifice fly to move the Ravens ahead 1-0. They added onto their lead during the top half of the third inning when second basemen Kaitlyn Rooney (Shirley, Mass.) Eastlick and leftfielder Jillian Ostrander (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) all singled to load the bases with only one down. Sorenson kept the line moving by mashing the fourth consecutive single of the frame to clear the bases. The next batter, clean up hitter Dominique Bisaccia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), drove home Sorenson stroking a one-out double, but Bisaccia was thrown out trying to stretch her hit into a triple as the Ravens led 4-0.

A Rooney single, an Eastlick hit by pitch and an Ashley Conway (Salem, N.H.) sacrifice fly added insurance runs to the line score for the Ravens as they hung on for their first win of the year.

Game Two: Spartans 7, Ravens 1 (Final)

The Spartans bats woke up in game two as they mashed a total of 13 hits and capitalized on four Raven errors. Franklin Pierce rocked seven hits in the contest with five of them coming from the top half of the order. Amelia Mamone (Wyantskill, N.Y.) fell to 0-3 on the season as she allowed seven runs – four earned on 13 hits while striking out a batter. In her first start of the year, Briana Keaveney threw seven innings of one run ball and notched seven strikeouts.

The Spartans drew first blood in the bottom of the second when Alyssa Farr reached base via a fielder's choice which brought home Caitlyn Francoeur after a Raven error. In the next half inning following two quick outs, the Ravens rallied to knot the score at 1-1 following three consecutive base knocks by Eastlick, Ostrander, and Sorenson.

STAC broke the game open with two runs in the in the fourth, one in the fifth and three in the sixth to build a big advantage as they held on for their first win of the campaign.

The Ravens return to the field on Saint Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17th for a non-conference twinbill showdown with the New York Institute of Technology starting at noon.

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). You can also follow the softball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/fFPUSoftball_) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpu_ravens_softball).