RINDGE, N.H. (3/24/23) - The Franklin Pierce University Softball opened their home slate with the non-conference doubleheader sweep over regional opponent D'Youville University, winning by scores of 6-1 and 8-1 on Friday afternoon at Bisaccia Field.

With the pair of wins, the Ravens improve to 15-8 on the season, while D'Youville falls to 6-14 overall.

Game #1

In the bottom of the first, Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) would bring in the first two runs of the day home for Pierce by way of a double up the middle. Sophomore Lita Vorseth's (Mesa, Ariz.) infield single would plate another run following the Cangiano drive, bringing the score to 3-0 in favor of the hosts with no outs. In the next at-bat, a sacrifice bunt by senior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) would put two runners in scoring position, setting up senior Alexis Briggs (Lockport, N.Y) for a groundout to second base to score junior Haley Bigwood (Athol, Mass.), bringing the action to 4-0 Ravens.

After a scoreless second inning, Pierce would add one more to the scoreboard on a sacrifice fly-out from sophomore Anna Erikson (Temecula, Calif.). A short-hop later to the bottom of the fourth, the Ravens make it 6-0 on a failed pickoff attempt on Cangiano at second, allowing freshman Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) to also steal home.  

In the top of the seventh, D'Youville would score their lone run of the first game on a similar failed pickoff attempt at second, allowing senior Hannah Bardeen to steal home. Franklin Pierce would earn the first win of the doubleheader by a score of 6-1.

In the circle, junior pitcher Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) made her fifth start of the season, tossing five scoreless innings with five allowed hits, two walks and four strikeouts for the win (4-1). Junior Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) would enter in to close out the game for Pierce, pitching through two innings with one run allowed on three hits, striking out three.

Game #2

Kindered to the first game, Pierce would plate four runs in the bottom of the first. The first run would arrive as the result of a walk with the bases loaded, which was then followed with a Melissa Konopinski single to left field to drive in another two runs. To complete the scoring in the first, freshman Kierra Warrix (Indianapolis,Ind.) delivered an RBI singled up the middle, scoring Lita Voresth from third.

Jumping all the way to the fifth, the Saints scored one of their own by way of a single from center fielder Laura Beck. However, the Ravens would have the answer shortly thereafter with pair of runs on a sacrifice fly-out by sophomore Bella Williams (Phoenix, Ariz.), as well as an attempt to force Haley Bigwood out at first that allowed freshman Savannah Arreguin to score on the throw.

With the score now at 6-1 in favor of Franklin Pierce, more runs would arrive for the Ravens in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of the visitor's reach. Senior Hailey Melchert (Lake Orion, Mich.) would drive in a run on an RBI single to center, before a D'Youville throwing error would result in a second run scored off an infield drive by Savannah Arreguin.  

The Ravens would complete the sweep winning the second game by a final of 8-1.

As the starter this time around, junior Sabrina Gonzalez tossed through three scoreless innings with just two hits allowed, with one walk and another three strikeouts. Freshman Savannah Arreguin would relieve Gonzalez midway through with one run allowed on one hit, with a pair of walks and strikeouts through three innings pitched. To close out the effort, junior Abby Poirot (Winstead, Conn.) tossed the final inning with no runs allowed on one hit with two strikeouts.

Pierce softball turn its focus to another upcoming home doubleheader on Monday, March 27^th where they will face off with Post University for the second time this season, with first pitch for game one at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. for game two.