MANCHESTER, N.H. (March 29, 2018) – Playing as the designated home team, the Franklin Pierce University softball team was upended by Northeast-10 Conference opponent Saint Anselm College 9-1 in five innings Thursday afternoon on the South Athletic Field. With the victory, the Hawks improve to 18-7-1, 5-1-1 NE10 while the Ravens fall to 3-10, 0-3 NE10.

Hawks starting pitcher Morgan Perry was masterful in this one as she hurled five innings and only allowed two hits while punching out six batters. Raven freshman starter Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) struggled with her control for the second straight start as she walked four batters and hit one over two innings of work. Centerfielder Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) and shortstop Ashley Rosario (Queensbury, N.Y.) chalked up the two hits for the Crimson and Grey.

Saint Anselm notched two runs in the top half of the first when catcher Megan Murrell smoked a single to center as Maggie Murphy, who reached first via a bunt single then stole second came around to score. Zemaitis walked the next batter and followed that up with a hit batsman then forced in a run by walking third basemen Michaela Kane on four pitches. Zemaitis punched out Shannon McLaughlin swinging to strand the bases.

The Hawks tacked on two more runs in the top of the second with three straight hits, a leadoff double, a single and a bunt single to begin the frame with a run scoring on the bunt. The bases were loaded again and Madison Borrelli drove home Amanda Bickford as she worked the count full and reached on a free pass as the designated away team lead 4-0.

Franklin Pierce cut the deficit to 4-1 in the home half of the second as Rosario singled to third base, which plated Aubrey Bianco (Marlboro, N.Y.) who got to first base by wearing a pitch for the team. The Hawks tacked on five more runs over the remaining innings with the big blow being an Erin Thompson double to center that plated two runs to run-rule the Ravens.

Franklin Pierce travels tomorrow to Bentley for a doubleheader with first pitch set for 3:00 and 5:00 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' 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).