NEW HAVEN, Conn. (4/2/23) – It was a good day for the Franklin Pierce softball team, as they powered their way to a doubleheader sweep over NE10 opponent Southern Connecticut State University, posting 10-7 and 20-3 wins at Pelz Field on Sunday afternoon.

Pierce softball improves to 19-10 (3-1 NE10) overall this season following the sweep, while Southern Connecticut drops to 7-11 (3-3 NE10) overall.

GAME #1

To say the least, the Ravens ran away with it early in the first inning with a quick 7-0 lead. The first run of the afternoon would arrive on a walk to freshman Hannah Wodecki (Southampton, Mass.), which would then translate over to the second run off the bat of senior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J) on an RBI single to left. Not long after, an error by the Owls third baseman Gabby Festa would allow sophomore Lita Vorseth ( Mesa, Ariz.) to reach first while plating another two more runs in the process, bringing the score to 4-0. And then, in similar fashion, Southern Connecticut first baseman Dominique DeLutri would commit a similar error to allow freshman Amy Jones (San Diego, Calif.) to reach first, bringing in the fifth run of the inning. To round out the first inning scoring, sophomore Bella Williams (Phoenix,Ariz.) would connect for  a two RBI single to bring the action to a 7-0 score.

However, Southern Connecticut would not exit the first inning empty handed. In the bottom half,  the Owls would answer back with two of their own on a sacrifice ground-out by junior Rachel Miller and an RBI single to center field by sophomore Gabby Festa, completing the combined nine-run first inning at a 7-2 score in favor of Pierce.

After three straight scoreless frames for both sides, the Ravens would piece together another run on the scoreboard by way of a Hannah Wodecki double. In the top of the fifth, Owls catcher Jacqueline Dumont would successfully attempt to pick off junior Molly Magnette (Ayer, Mass.) on a steal, but would allow enough time for freshman Amy Jones to scoot home to extend the lead to 9-2.  Despite this, Southern Connecticut would connect for five in a row in the bottom half, with the first three coming as the result of a Raven wild pitch, error and  failed pickoff attempt. Then, a two RBI double from shortstop Angela Barresi would plate another pair of runs, pulling the Owls to within two of the Ravens, 9-7.

In need of some insurance in the top of the seventh, the Ravens would manage to score one more run. As the pinch hitter in this scenario, junior Susannah Campos (Lemoore, Calif.) would deliver that run with a RBI single directly up the middle. The Ravens would then finish the job on the defensive end, silencing the remaining Owl bats to claim game one by the 10-7 score.

From the circle, three pitchers saw action on the afternoon for the Ravens. Freshman Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) would make her seventh start of the season, tossing through three innings while allowing two runs on four hits, with one walk and two strikeouts for  the win (5-2) . Junior Samantha Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) would see some relief work in the effort with two innings pitched, allowing one earned run on three Owls hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Junior Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) played the closer role for the Ravens, and finish the final two innings with no hits allowed and one walk to claim the save.

GAME #2

In the first inning of game two, the Ravens would jump ahead to an early 3-0 advantage. An error by Owls' shortstop Angela Barresi aided junior Haley Bigwood (Athol, Mass.) in reaching first to bring in the Ravens' first run, while a failed pickoff attempt on Bigwood at second would score junior Ashley Cangiano  (North Attleboro, Mass.) on a throwing error by catcher Paige Delier and. Shortly thereafter, senior Melissa Konopinski then smacked an RBI single up the middle to plate Bigwood.  

In the top of the second, Bigwood would be return in a big way with a grand slam blast over the left field fence to extend the Franklin Pierce lead out to 7-0. However, Southern Connecticut would snag one run in response on a wild pitch by Pierce starting pitcher Abby Poirot (Winstead, Conn.).  

Then, in the third inning, the Ravens would further their lead via an RBI double to left by freshman Amy Jones.

In the fourth, it would be Haley Bigwood yet again, but this time in the form of a double to left field, cashing in for her fifth RBI of the game. Then, as new Owls pitcher Ashley Lewis got settled in, Bigwood would make her way home tp bring the score to 10-1 in favor of Pierce on a wild pitch. More would be added on when sophomore Lita Vorseth then plated another run on a RBI singled to center, which would then be followed by a RBI single through the right side by Susannah Campos. To continue the explosive surge, sophomore Bella Williams extended the lead with an RBI groundout to the Southern Connecticut third baseman, while junior Ashley Cangiano brought in two more runs with a single to left field. The Franklin Pierce offense had now pushed the game well out of reach, leading the Owls 15-1.

After shortstop Angela Barresi added another two runs for the hosts in the bottom of the fourth, the Owls could not escape the offensive onslaught as the campaign would only continue in the top of the fifth. Through the inning the Ravens would add a combined five runs on a double to left field from a double by Lita Vorseth, and respective singles by Bella Williams, Ashley Cangiano, amd Haley Bigwood. Pierce would inflict the mercy rule, and earn the five-inning triumph by a score of 20-3.

For Pierce softball, the 20-runs scored is the second-highest total in program history, and the highest since April, 23rd of 2015 (18-5 win over Saint Michael's). 

From the circle, junior Abby Poirot tossed the complete game in her seventh start of the season, pitching all five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out three to earn the win (5-3).

The Franklin Pierce University Softball team will have brief break before traveling to Saint Michael's College for another in-conference doubleheader this Thursday April 6^th. Game start times have been set for 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Colchester, Vermont.