Rindge, N.H. (3/23/22) - Franklin Pierce University softball claimed a pair of wins in their first home appearance of the 2022 season, besting Queens College (N.Y.) in a mid-week double header at Bisaccia Field. The Ravens opened the day with a mercy-rule 9-1 victory over the Knights, and finished the afternoon with a decisive 3-1 victory in game two. 

With the pair of wins, Franklin Pierce's season remains unblemished and improves to 10-0, as Queens, with the loss, drops to 10-0 this year. 

First Game:

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a single run in the bottom of the first inning when junior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) drilled a triple into left field, quickly putting the Ravens in scoring position. The play to follow was the result of a wild pitch by the Knights, scoring Konopinski and giving the Birds a 1-0 lead.

Both teams would go scoreless through the second inning, with the Knights tying the game 1-1 in the top of the third. The Ravens would reclaim their lead in the bottom half of the inning after sophomore Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, MA) hit a sacrifice fly-out to center field, scoring a runner at third base, and Haley Bigwood (Athol, MA) sent an RBI double to left center.

Carrying a 3-1 lead through the fourth inning, Franklin Pierce would seal the deal in the bottom of the fifth, scoring six straight runs. Bella Williams (Phoenix, AZ) opened the inning with a triple up the middle, and would score on a follow up single from graduate student Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, MA). After stealing second base, Hinckley would add another and advance to third on a wild pitch, and find home plate off a fielder's choice from Freshman Lita Vorseth (Mesa, AZ). With the lead now 5-1, and runners in scoring position again, Hailey Melchert (Lake Orion, MI) drove in a run with a single to center field, with the seventh run coming from another fielder's choice from senior Allie Martinez (Upland, CA). In a similar way to how she started the offense, Melissa Konopinski also finished it with single over the second baseman into center field, good for two runs.

After pitching through the first four innings, senior Abbey Primavera (Spring Hill, FL) collected her fourth win of the year, allowing five hits as well as 5 strikeouts. Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, AZ) relieved Primavera in the fifth inning and managed a single strikeout to help the Ravens close out the victory.

Second Game: 

The Ravens second contest of the day turned out to be more of a pitchers' duel, with sophomore Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, AZ) getting the nod after her relief appearance in game one. Gonzalez would pitch the entirety of the game, and through seven innings would strikeout three batters, and allow just five hits to claim her fourth victory this season.

Franklin Pierce would break the silence until the bottom half of the third inning, but certainly made some noise in doing so. Freshman Bella Williams (Phoenix, AZ) opened it up with a single to right center which scored a pair of baserunners in Haley Melchert (Lake Orion, MI) from third base, and Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) from second base. However, the Ravens weren't satisfied with the 2-0 lead, and Williams would round third and score off a single from graduate student Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, MA) to left field.

The Knights would show signs of life in the upper half of the fifth inning, cutting the Ravens lead to two runs. However, that turned out to be enough for Franklin Pierce, who closed it off with a strong defensive showing from the infield, retiring six out of the Knights next seven batters.

The Ravens will get their first taste of NE10 competition in the young 2022 season this coming Saturday, with another scheduled double-header against Saint Michael's College at Noon and 2pm E.T.