RINDGE, N.H. (MAY 4, 2021) – Franklin Pierce University softball senior starting pitcher Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) hurled an immaculate second inning and classmate Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.) walloped her 10th homer of the campaign as the Ravens held off a furious seventh-inning rally to defeat Stonehill College 7-6 in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship First Round Tuesday afternoon at Bisaccia Field.

With the win, the Ravens improve to 20-7 and advance to the Semifinals on Tuesday versus Assumption University at home with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m. This season, the Ravens split their season series 2-2 with the Greyhounds.

Zemaitis improved to 10-1 tossing six innings allowing no earned runs scatting four hits and striking out 11 batters. It was the 15th double-digit strikeout effort of her collegiate career and her ERA dropped to 1.14 on the year.

Hinckley, the Ravens cleanup hitter and bridge master (a hot home run hitter, five homers over her last 10 games) went 2-for-3 at the dish with the homer, three RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. She passed former teammate Cat Simmons (2019) and Erin Wood (2016) for the most taters during a single season in program history.

Ravens backstop junior Allie Martinez (Upland, Calif.), reigning NE10 Player of the Week, third baseman Madi Killebrew (Dana Point, Calif.), and sophomore designated player Ari Rodriguez (Clinton, Mass.) produced two hit efforts as well. Freshman pitcher Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) came on to get the final out of the ballgame, a strikeout for her first career save.

For Stonehill, starter Kelly Mayette was hit hard in two and one-third of an inning allowing seven hits, six runs -  five earned with two walks. Catcher Michelle Theilgard bashed a grand slam late in the ballgame to put her team within one before Sylvester shut the door.

In the top of the first, Zemaitis worked around some weak contact and a fielding miscue to punch out the side. She struck out the opening batter of the game then allowed a single that barely left the infield dirt. She sent down the next batter looking then right fielder Genna Hartman singled weakly down the third baseline. This set up designated player Julia Perrone who slapped the ball the opposite way into shallow right, the Raven right fielder dove for the ball and it went in and out of her glove for the unearned run. Zemaitis struck out the next hitter as the Ravens trailed 1-0.

Hinckley gave the Ravens the 3-1 edge in the home half of the first bashing a sky-high oppo taco to right-center that clanged off the top of the fence and landed on the other side.

Zemaitis returned to the circle and pitched an immaculate inning using nine pitches to strike out the side in order which gave her six punchouts over her opening two frames. In the bottom of the inning, Pierce manufactured another run, Rodriguez singled and stole second then moved up to third on a flyout. Centerfielder Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) dumped an opposite-field single to left to up the Pierce margin to 4-1 with one away. Martinez added onto the lead, 5-1 taking the first pitch up the middle for the RBI.

The home half of the third saw the Ravens load the bases via a walk and two straight singles which resulted in a freshman left fielder Jenna Murray (Wilbraham, Mass.) contributing the third consecutive single to center to up the score to 6-1. In the bottom of the sixth freshman right fielder Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) slapped a single into right-center that plated the Ravens seventh run of the contest giving them a comfortable advantage headed into Stonehill's last at-bats.

Stonehill would not back down trailing 7-1. They loaded the bases with one out. Second baseman Courtney Brochu singled to short to make it a 7-2 contest. The next Skyhawk batter struck out and Theilgard dug into the box and lined grand slam to left putting her squad down one, 7-6. Sylvester came in and closed out the contest for Pierce.

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).