EASTON, Mass. (April 27, 2021) – The bats were working again on Tuesday afternoon for the Franklin Pierce University softball team, which hit four home runs over the course of a doubleheader at Stonehill. Senior Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.) went deep in each end of the Northeast-10 Conference twinbill, as the Ravens posted a 4-3 win in the first game and an 8-0, six-inning victory in the second. Fellow senior Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) tossed a three-hit, 11-strikeout shutout in the second game.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 16-6 (15-5 NE10) and matches the program record for wins (2002, 1996, 1994). With a pair of losses, Stonehill falls to 5-19 (4-16 NE10).

Game 1: Franklin Pierce 4, Stonehill 3

Franklin Pierce jumped out to an early lead to start the first leg of the doubleheader, as a two-out rally gave the Ravens a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Junior Maiah Lopez (Oxnard, Calif.) led off the game with a single, and later advanced to second on a Hinckley single. Freshman Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) followed with a single of her own to load the bases for graduate student Jess Rego (Richmond, R.I.). Rego sliced the ball down the right-field line for a single to bring Lopez home and give the Ravens the lead. Sophomore Ari Rodriguez (Clinton, Mass.) was then hit by a pitch, which forced home Hinckley.

Stonehill halved the deficit with a pair of doubles, as seniors Hannah Ricker and Michelle Theilgard knocked back-to-back two-baggers with one out in the home half of the first.

Franklin Pierce got the run back in the top of the third, when Hinckley battled through a six-pitch at-bat before blasting a solo home run well past the fence in left field.

Stonehill senior Julia Perrone would answer with a home run of her own in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 3-2, but once again Hinckley was there to extend the lead for the Ravens. In the top of the fifth inning, she provided an RBI double to right-center, which allowed graduate student Madi Killebrew (Dana Point, Calif.) to cross home plate.

Stonehill added one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Genna Hartman homerun, but the senior's blast was not enough, as the Ravens closed out the 4-3 victory.

Freshman Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) threw the first four innings for the Ravens, allowed two runs on four hits and picked up the win (4-0). Senior Abbey Primavera (Spring Hill, Fla.) earned her first save of the season with three innings of one-run, three-hit ball. In an interesting quirk, Franklin Pierce pitching did not strike out a Stonehill batter in the first game.

Sophomore Molly Adamo (1-6) got the start for the Skyhawks and gave up eight hits and four runs through 4.1 innings.

Game 2: Franklin Pierce 8, Stonehill 0 (6 innings)

The second leg of the double header started similar to the first, as Franklin Pierce took an early lead in the top of the first inning. This time the inning was powered by a three-run homerun from Hinckley. Rego later walked and scored an unearned run when Rodriguez reached on an error with two outs.

The Ravens added another run in the third inning, on a sacrifice fly from freshman Jenna Murray (Wilbraham, Mass.), which allowed Hinckley to reach home. Two innings later, in the fifth, Cangiano hammered a solo home run to bring the score to 6-0. Killebrew added the final two runs in the sixth with a home run of her own.

Zemaitis (9-1) used 102 pitches (72 strikes) to mow through the Stonehill lineup and post the shutout. She allowed just three hits, did not issue a walk and struck out 11.

Sophomore Kelly Mayette (3-7) pitched the first 2.1 innings and suffered the loss for Stonehill after she was tagged for five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks, with one strikeout.

The Ravens are scheduled to host their final series of the regular season on Friday and Saturday against Southern New Hampshire. Weather permitting, first pitch is set for 3 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday in Rindge.