RINDGE, N.H. (April 23, 2016) – It was a tough day for the offense of the Franklin Pierce University softball team, as it was shutout twice in a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Stonehill College Skyhawks on Saturday afternoon at the Bisaccia Softball Complex.

The doubleheader loss to the Skyhawks resulted in the team's record dropping down to 15-21 (10-12 Northeast-10, 9-11 Northeast Division). The Skyhawks record advances to 22-16 (18-8 Northeast-10, 14-6 Northeast Division). The two teams will meet again on Sunday, at 1 p.m. at the Bisaccia Softball Complex, to round out the three-game series.

The first score in game one came for Stonehill in the top of the second. A groundout to second base resulted in an unearned run against senior pitcher Mandi Adee (Kinderhook, N.Y.), after an error earlier in the inning. Two more runs scored in the top of the fifth, on a two-run homer to right-center field by junior second basemen Alison Sumski.

Five more runs were scored in the top of the sixth. After another error in left field, a pair of doubles resulted in three more runs for the Skyhawks. The final two runs of the game came from Sumski's second homer of the game.

Junior pitcher Sarah Ropiak earned her eleventh win of the season (11-8), as she gave up only one hit and had six strikeouts in the shutout for the Skyhawks.

Adee took her eighth loss of the season (6-8) after giving up eight hits and seven runs (six earned) over 5.1 innings.

Later in the afternoon, strong pitching by both teams resulted in a low-scoring second game. The first run of the game came from freshman first baseman Erin Brayden in the top of the fifth, on a single to drive in senior pitcher Megan Ruonavaara.

The second and final run of the game came in the top of the sixth, on an RBI double by Sumski.

Ruonavaara (5-4) had a strong 4.1 shutout innings, as she allowed four hits and posted one strikeout. Sophomore pitcher Michelle Carbone came in for her first save of the season by allowing two hits and having one strikeout over the final 2.2 innings to complete the shutout.

Freshman pitcher Sabrina LoMonaco (Franklin, Mass.) went the distance, but suffered her eighth loss of the season (2-8) after giving up six hits and two runs.

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).