WALTHAM, Mass. (March 30, 2018) – Franklin Pierce University softball senior centerfielder Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) combined to go 4-for-7 (.571) at the dish, but the Ravens fell to Northeast-10 Conference opponent Bentley University 5-4 and 3-1 Friday evening. The wins send the host Falcons to 5-14 overall, 3-5 NE10 while the Ravens slide lost their 12th contest overall and remain winless in league play.

Game One: Falcons 5, Ravens 4 (Final)

Sorenson saw the ball well in the first game with a 2-for-4 (.500) two-RBI effort. Sophomore utility Kaitlyn Rooney (Shirley, Mass.) pinch-hit and smacked a single that brought home two runs. Bre Eastlick (Rocklin, Calif.) added a 2-for-3 (.667), one run and one walk performance from the leadoff spot. Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) started for FPU and ran into trouble early as she only hurled one and two-thirds of an inning. Lefthander Amelia Mamone (Wynantskill, N.Y.) relieved Zemaitis and allowed only two hits the rest of the way in four and one-third of a frame.

Franklin Pierce crossed the dish twice in the top of the first frame. The squad roped three consecutive hits when Eastlick led off the inning with a single to center, third basemen Ashley Conway (Salem, N.H.) followed by singling to short and the third hitter, Sorenson doubled into the right-centerfield gap to drive in both runners on base.

The Falcons cut the deficit to one as Jordan Ballantyne stroked a two-out single to center with two runners on base. Zemaitis punched out right fielder Courtney Woronka swinging for her third "K" of the inning. Bentley pushed in front the next inning springing for a three-run spurt. With one down, Noa Rivera and Lea Thompson singled then three-hole hitter Julie Slavin cleared the bases by smoking a triple to right center to move ahead 4-2.

Bentley tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the third off a throwing error by the Raven pitcher to lead 5-2. Franklin Pierce rallied and made it a one-run game in the top half of the sixth inning with two outs. The bases were eventually juiced for Rooney who pinch hit for Abbigael Cook (Smithfield, R.I.) Rooney dropped in a single to left to plate Ashley Rosario (Queensbury, N.Y.) and Jess Rego (Richmond, R.I.) as Pierce trailed 5-4.

The Ravens tried to mount another comeback but were stifled in the top of the seventh by the Bentley closer, Kayleigh Fitzpatrick who earned her first save of the season.

Game Two: Falcons 3, Ravens 1 (Final)

Sorenson was the only Raven to record multiple hits in game two as she tallied a triple to finish the contest at 2-for-3 (.667). Eastlick recorded an RBI in a 1-for-3 (.333) ballgame while Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.) and Jillian Ostrander (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) tacked on hits each. Sabrina LoMonaco (Franklin, Mass.) hurled from the circle allowing only three runs – two earned while giving up six total base knocks. Neither team struck out in the showdown.

Bentley opened the scoring after an obstruction call on the Ravens in the bottom of the second. The Crimson and Grey immediately tied up the contest in the next half frame as Cortese led off with a two-bagger, Ostrander sacrificed Cook, who pinch-ran to the hot corner and Eastlick punched a single through the left side. The Raven first basemen moved into scoring position on a passed ball and to third when Sorenson singled. With runners at second and third, Conway lined out to the keystone area, which stranded two runners on as the Ravens failed to take the lead.

The score remained 1-1 over the next few innings until the bottom of the fifth as a fielder's choice RBI and a two-out single off the bat of Catie Noons gave the hosts a 3-1 advantage they would not relinquish.

The Ravens travel back to Waltham on Monday for a single game set for 4:00 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).