RINDGE, N.H. (May 1, 2021) – Saturday afternoon brought Senior Day to the Bisaccia Softball Field, along with a cross-state rivalry matchup against the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen. The Franklin Pierce University softball team made sure its seniors were celebrated in style, as the Ravens swept the Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. In the first game, freshman right-hander Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) authored a five-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory. In the second game, freshman Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) ripped a three-run triple as part of a five-run sixth, in a 9-6 win.

With the wins, Franklin Pierce improves to 18-6 (17-5 NE10), has won a program-record nine in a row, and establishes a new program high-water mark for wins in a season. With the losses, SNHU falls to 11-11 (11-11 NE10). The two teams will meet again on Sunday at Bisaccia Softball Field to wrap up the four-game season series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

Game 1: Franklin Pierce 2, Southern New Hampshire 0

A two-run second inning was all that was needed for Franklin Pierce in the first game. Senior Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.) led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. Cangiano followed and doubled Hinckley home with a shot to deep left-center field. Graduate student Jess Rego (Richmond, R.I.) hit a single through the right side to bring home Cangiano and extend the lead to 2-0, where it would stay for the remainder of the contest.

Sylvester (5-0) went the distance in the circle and secured her first career shutout on just 64 pitches (48 strikes). She allowed five hits, did not issue a walk, hit one batter and did not record a strikeout.

Senior right-hander Olivia Strasser (4-7) threw a complete game on 97 pitches (65 strikes) for the Penmen, allowed two runs on nine hits, hit two batters and struck out four.

Game Two: Franklin Pierce 9, Southern New Hampshire 6

The second game of the day featured a bit more drama. Headed to the bottom of the sixth in a 4-4 tie, the Ravens plated four in the inning to take control of the contest. After a double by senior Ashley Rosario (Queensbury, N.Y.) and a pair of walks loaded the bases, graduate student Madi Killebrew (Dana Point, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to give Franklin Pierce the lead for good. An error brought home another run before Cangiano broke things open, as she drove a three-run triple to the base of the fence in right field.

The Penmen tried to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh, as they scored a pair, to cut the deficit to 9-6. The first came on an infield single by freshman Shannon Gifford, and the other on an RBI double to left-center by senior Emily Critch. That put the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, but it would get no further, as senior Shay Sauvageau bounced out to second to end things.

Much earlier in the game, the Ravens had opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third. Killebrew doubled down the left-field line and later came around to score on an error.

Hinckley extended the Ravens' lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with her NE10-leading ninth home run of the season. Junior Maiah Lopez (Oxnard, Calif.), who had walked, and Killebrew, who had doubled, made the trip home with Hinckley on the three-run shot to right.

SNHU scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning, highlighted by back-to-back home runs, to draw level at 4-4. With one run already home in the inning on an RBI single by Gifford, Sauvageau provided a two-run blast to right-center, her third of the season. Senior Coralie Mathieu followed, went the other way and wrapped her first of the season around the foul pole in right to tie the game.

Senior right-hander Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) started in the circle and cruised through five innings before running into trouble in the sixth. In all, she threw 90 pitches (69 strikes) over 5.2 innings, allowed four runs on seven hits, walked one, struck out six and did not factor in the decision. Graduate student left-hander Amelia Mamone (Averill Park, N.Y.) picked up the win (3-0) after recording the final four outs, though she surrendered two runs on three hits.

Senior right-hander Chloe Griffin (7-3) tossed a complete game for the Penmen on 129 pitches (73 strikes). She was charged with nine runs (four earned) on eight hits, walked four and struck out three.