RINDGE, N.H. (3/27/23) - The Franklin Pierce University softball team split a non-conference double-header with Post University (CACC) on Monday afternoon, taking the opener 7-6 by way of a walk-off before watching its seventh inning comeback fall short in the nightcap, 4-3 at Bisaccia Field.

The swap moves Pierce softball to a 16-9 overall record, while Post improves to 3-17 overall.

GAME #1

In game one of the Monday twin-bill, the Eagles jumped on the scoreboard early, pushing across three runs in the top of the first inning on a two-out, three-run homer by junior infielder Lily Tomasiello. The Ravens would slash into the Eagles lead in the bottom half with a runner at second, as junior Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) drove a double into left-center field. In the next at bat, fellow junior Haley Bigwood (Athol, Mass.) would then plate Cangiano with a RBI single, this time to right-center, making it a 3-2 contest entering the second.

However, the Eagles would continue to pile on the runs over the course of the second and third innings, including a second home run by Tomasiello to plate another two RBI, granting the visitors a 6-2 lead over the hosts.

Two innings later, with two runners on, the Ravens then began chipping away at the deficit when Cangiano delivered freshman Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) home on a sacrifice fly-out to right, advancing baserunner Bella Williams (Phoenix, Ariz.) from second to third in the process. Shortly thereafter, sophomore infielder Lita Vorseth (Mesa, Ariz.) scored Williams from third following a fielding error by the Eagles third baseman, pulling Pierce to within range of a comeback at 6-4.

After denying Post any insurance through the sixth and seventh innings, the Ravens completed the comeback in the bottom of the seventh. To tie the game, Haley Bigwood legged-out a shot into the right field corner to score an inside the park home run, bringing in Ashley Cangiano from second. Through the next two at bats, Lita Vorseth and senior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) each secured a respective double and single, bringing sophomore Ana Erikson (Temecula, Calif.) to the plate. Low and behold, Erikson delivered the game-winning run with a single to left-center field, capping off the 7-6 winning effort for the Ravens.

Junior Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) received the start in the circle for game one, and lasted through three innings with six runs allowed on six hits, striking out two batters with two walks. In relief, junior Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) additionally pitched three innings, allowing two hits with one walk. Earning the victory for Pierce was reliever Abbey Poirot (Winstead, Conn.), who allowed no runs on no hits.

GAME #2

After claiming the come from behind win in the opener, the Ravens would not be so fortunate in the closer. Through the first two innings, the Eagles would score a run in each to climb ahead 2-0, courtesy of solo home runs by graduate Allyson Wallauer and senior Juliana Rigano.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Ravens would cut the Eagle lead in half by way of a sacrifice fly-out to left field by Haley Bigwood, scoring runner Bella Williams from third to make it a 2-1 game. Then in the sixth inning, Bella Williams blasted a solo home run over the left field fence to bring the two teams to a 2-2 stalemate entering the final inning of play.

However, the Eagles made sure they kept the lead this time around in the top of the seventh, plating a pair of runs on a two RBI double to left field by Lily Tomasiello, restoring the two-run edge at 4-2. With one last chance to tie the game, junior Susannah Campos (Lemoore, Calif.) scored Melissa Konopinski from third to bring the Ravens back within one, but was then picked off at first in a rundown play. Post would secure the final out of the game before the Ravens could deal any more damage, escaping with the 4-3 victory to earn the split.

As the starter, junior Abbey Poirot took the loss in the circle for Pierce after working through three innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Sabrina Gonzalez entered midway through in relief, and tossed four innings with two runs allowed on four hits, walking two batters with three total strikeouts.

Softball begins their in-conference schedule with a road doubleheader at New Haven (5-14, 3-1 NE10) on Saturday, April 1^st  with 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. game times.