WEST HAVEN, Conn. (3/30/23) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team made their way south to the University of New Haven for their first round on Northeast-10 Conference Connecticut competition, earning a split against the Chargers with a 5-3 win and a 6-4 loss at the New Haven Softball Field.   

Pierce softball moves to 17-10 (1-1 NE10) overall while New Haven moves to 6-17 (4-2 NE10) as the teams split the double header.

GAME #1

The Chargers would strike first in game one, scoring a pair of runs on a single from catcher Meg Anderson to put the Ravens in the early 2-0 hole in the bottom of the first. Later on in the bottom of the second inning, the Chargers would add a third run as junior catcher Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) picked off New Haven center fielder Bella Chenet on a steal attempt at second, bringing home the runner from third on the throw.

However, it would not be long before the Ravens would plate their first run of the day. In the top of the third, a triple through the left side from senior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J) would be promptly followed by a sacrifice groundout to the shortstop junior Haley Bigwood (Athol, Mass.), cutting the deficit to 3-1. After a scoreless fourth inning for both sides, the Ravens would continue to fight back with another three runs scored in the top of the fifth.  Bigwood would return  for more at the plate with an RBI single up the middle, and sophomore  Anna Erikson (Temecula, Calif.) would directly follow that with a bases-clearing double to left field, giving Franklin Pierce their first lead of the afternoon, 4-3.  

In the sixth, in an effort to add some insurance, Pierce would bring home another run by way of an Erikson sacrifice fly to left field. Neither team would score in the seventh, with the Ravens emerging with the 5-3 victory.

In the circle, freshman Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) would make her sixth start of the season, pitching through four innings with one earned run allowed on five hits, three walks, and two strikeouts to earn the win (4-2). Junior Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) would enter to relieve Arreguin for the final three innings, allowing no runs on one hit with two walks and one strike out while also claiming the save.

GAME #2

As was the case in the afternoon opener, New Haven would climb ahead to an early 3-0 lead. It began as a two-out rally in the bottom of the second for the Chargers, with the first run scoring on an infield single from Maeve Lougheed. To follow, a two RBI single to left field from Kylie Thorpe would give the Chargers their 3-0 edge.

Pierce would answer with their own three-pierce to tie up the game in the top of the third. Melissa Konopinski would start things off for the Ravens with a double through the left side, bringing home one runner. In the next at bat,  Haley Bigwood continued to score runs with a single to center field, plating two runs in the process to bring things to a 3-3 deadlock. However, New Haven would answer quickly with a two-run bottom half of the inning, reclaiming the lead for the second time in the game on a home run from Aaliyah Amidon.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Charger lead would expand to 6-3 as Meg Anderson struck a solo home run over the left field fence. With one final opportunity to try and stage a comeback in the top of the seventh, the Ravens would manage one more run across the plate on a walk to Savannah Arreguin. However, the Ravens would not be able to bring anyone else home as sophomore Lita Vorseth ( Mesa, Ariz.) would be forced to hit into the fielder's choice, with Bigwood receiving the out at third. The final score of game two would be 6-4 in favor of the hosts, forcing the split of the series.

Junior Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) made her seventh start of the season, tossing through three innings allowing five runs allowed on six hits, with three walks while to take the loss (4-2-1) for Pierce. In relief, junior Abby Poirot (Winstead, Conn.) equally tossed through three innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out three.

The Ravens will make another trek to Connecticut for Sunday, April 2^nd for another in-conference doubleheader against Southern Connecticut State, with game starts set for 12:00 p.m. and 2:00pm.