CLERMONT, Fla. (March 11, 2017) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team started their 2017 season away from bone chill Rindge, N.H. in sunny and warm Clermont, Fla. on Saturday. The Ravens opened the year with a 13-1 five inning setback to #18 nationally-ranked Caldwell University and in the night cap, FPU dropped a 7-0 decision to Dominican (N.Y.) College to end day one.

With the losses, FPU slides to 0-2 on the young season while the Cougars and Chargers improve to 2-3 and 1-0 respectively.

Game One: Cougars 13, Ravens 1 (Final – 5 Innings)

Caldwell roped hits early and often as the squad batted around and crossed the dish nine times in the opening frame. The key knock was a Melissa Rini two bagger to centerfield which scored two unearned runs. Freshman Amelia Mamone (Wynantskill, N.Y.) entered the ballgame from the bullpen and she stopped the bleeding by inducing a 5-3 groundout to end the inning.

Mamone allowed only three runs in her first ever outing as she surrendered three straight RBI hits via a single, triple and another single to move the guests ahead 12-0 after two. With FPU looking for answers, sophomore hurler Abbie Paquette (Biddeford, Maine) took the bump and hurled the last three innings allowing only one run, on three hits while striking out a batter.

The only offense the Ravens could muster was through an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of junior Cassidy Sorenson (Billerica, Mass.) who plated classmate Dominique Bisaccia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) who reached base via a leadoff double to left field.

Alexa Toner qualified for the win as starter Sydney Ponto only lasted one inning on the mound. Toner threw two innings allowing only two hits, one earned run while striking out two batters.

Game Two: Chargers 7, Ravens 0 (Final)

The Ravens looked to make some noise in the top half of the first inning as Jillian Ostrander (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) smoked a one out single into left field in between the third basemen and shortstop. However her teammates would strand her on first base.

Junior Aubrey Bianco (Marlboro, N.Y.) was on the bump for the first inning and she got the Chargers to go down in order. FPU threatened in the top of the second as Jaclyn Cortese (Upton, Mass.) stroked a base knock up the middle. The next batter, Ashley Conway (Salem, N.H.) tried to advance the runner, but she grounded into a fielder's choice as Cortese was forced out at second. Conway moved up to second on a passed ball, but couldn't advance any further as the duel still remained scoreless.

Dominican got on the board when Samantha Fitzgerald singled up the middle scoring teammate Taylor Gilligan from second base. Fitzgerald advanced to second on the throw, but she would remain there as Emily Luzetsky flied out to left.

The next five runs all scored by the Chargers came via the round tripper as Alexandria Ledgerwood swatted a two-run jack and Alyssa Schwed smoked a three-run bomb to right center which gave Dominican a 6-0 edge. The Chargers scored another run in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to 7-0.

Looking to scratch a run across in the top of the seventh, freshman Allison Collins (Sandown, N.H.) came off the pine, stepped into the batter's box and reached first base on an error by the first basemen. The team couldn't drive Collins in as they were shutout 7-0.

Jenna Maska moved to 1-0 as she threw four innings of two hit ball while striking out three batters.

FPU will return to the diamond tomorrow for a twinbill with the first contest of the day occurring in the early morning against Post at 8:00 a.m. The Ravens will have a brief break before they play Sioux Falls at 1:00 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).