COLCHESTER, Vt. (March 20, 2021) – Franklin Pierce University softball senior pitcher Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) turned in the finest pitching performance of her collegiate career hurling a season-opening no-hitter with 14 strikeouts in a game one 8-0 six-inning shutout win in the season opener of a Saturday matinee twinbill at Northeast-10 Conference opponent Saint Michael's College. FPU then completed the doubleheader sweep with a 7-2 game two victory at Doc Jacobs Field.

The Ravens, who started hot out of the gate last year (10-1) improved to 2-0, 2-0 NE10 on the year while the Purple Knights dropped their first two contests.

Zemaitis's 14 punch-outs were easily a career-high watermark and it was her 11th career double-digit strikeout performance. The 14 strikeouts tied the program single-game record that is held by Courtney Jacobs who struck out 14 batters versus Queens (N.Y.) College on March 14, 2009. Zemaitis has 324 K's in her career and trails Jacobs's program mark of 454.

Game One: Ravens 8, Purple Knights 0 (Final – Six Innings)

Zemaitis donned the circle for the Ravens in game one. She started the game efficiently striking out eight of the first nine batters she faced. She gave up a single walk on a 3-2 count to lead off the top of the fourth. Her season starts with a 1-0 record following the no-hitter.

While Zemaitis was keeping the purple Knights off the board the Ravens offense kept busy scoring at least one run in every inning other than the first. The scoring was started with two outs in the top of the second with Susannah Campos (Lemoore, Calif.) reaching second on an error. Jenna Murray (Wilbraham, Mass) plated her teammate with a single up the middle that sent pinch-runner Maleena Davis (Tehachapi, Calif.) home. The Ravens added another run when the next batter after Ari Rodriguez (Clinton, Mass) singled home Murray in the next plate appearance.

Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.) provided some insurance in the top half of the fifth with the Ravens leading 5-0. The senior first baseman did some damage belting a home run down the left field line, her seventh career round-tripper to expand the Raven edge to 7-0. Hinckley completed both games going 2-for-6 (.333) in the batter's box with the homer, a double, and three RBI

Saint Michael's pitcher Jackie Cherry (0-1) threw six full innings giving up eight hits and four earned runs. The Purple Nights defense game cost Cherry making three errors.

Game Two: Ravens 7, Purple Knights 2 (Final)

Game two remained much closer than game one with a 2-2 tie heading into the top of the sixth inning. Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) reached first on a dropped ball, then later scored on a Campos double to left field which gave the Ravens their first advantage 3-2.

Looking for some insurance the Raven bats came alive in the top of the seventh inning exploding for four runs and putting the game out of reach. Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) walked to start the frame and scored after beating the throw home on an Ashley Rosario (Queensbury, N.Y.) ground out. Pinch runners Molly Magnette (Ayer, Mass.) and Caitlyn Munzing (Beverly, Mass.) both scored on a Cangiano double. She would also cross home plate with a Campos double down the right field line making the margin 7-2.

Graduate student Amelia Mamone (Averill Park, N.Y.) earned the win out of the pen for the Ravens giving up three hits and one run in two innings of work. Freshman Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) started the game lasting four full innings with one hit, one walk, and three K's. The seventh inning belonged to Madison Labrie (New Ipswich, N.H.) who came in and shut the door keeping the Purple Knights off the bases while picking up a strikeout in the process.

The Ravens will go for the four-game sweep tomorrow with a doubleheader kicking off at 1:00 p.m. at Saint Michael's.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://fpuravens.com). 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://fpuravens.com). You can also follow the softball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPUSoftball_) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpu_ravens_softball).