RINDGE, N.H. (4/11/23) - On a Tuesday afternoon, The Franklin Pierce University Softball team swept a conference doubleheader against fellow granite state squad, Southern New Hampshire University by scores of 6-0 and 9-8 respectively, with the nightcap coming by way of a walk-off.

With the pair of victories, Pierce improves to 24-11 (8-2 NE10) while Southern New Hampshire drops to 12-16 (5-7 NE10) on the year.

GAME #1 

After a quiet first two innings, Pierce would be the first ones to strike in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Bella Williams (Phoenix, Ariz.) would connect for a double to left field, bringing home one run, and would then by followed by a two RBI double to left-center by senior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.), boosting the hosts to a 3-0 advantage. 

Following another two scoreless innings, Franklin Pierce would pad their lead with three insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. With bases loaded, Melissa Konopinski would lob a fly ball over the head of the SNHU right fielder for a double, scoring all three runners in the process to make it a 6-0 game. Haley Bigwood (Athol, Mass.), the runner from first, would score via an error on the throw from right.

As a result, the opposition would run out of options over the final two innings. Pierce would claim the afternoon opener by a score of 6-0, which is the fourth time this season that the Ravens have shutout an opponent. 

Junior Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) made her ninth start of the season, and was lights out from the circle, pitching the complete game with no runs allowed on two hits while striking out one to improve to 8-3 on the season. 

GAME #2

In game two of the afternoon, the 3-0 lead would arrive earlier this time around for the Ravens. Freshman Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) would find a path home on a passed ball that on catcher Abi Gray to open the scoring in the first inning. Then, freshman Hannah Wodecki (Southampton, Mass.) would connect for her second triple of the day to plate another two runs for Pierce.

Two innings later, junior Haley Bigwood (Athol, Mass.) would belt a two run bomb over the left field fence to expand the Raven lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the third, her sixth long-ball of the season.

It would be all Southern New Hampshire in the fourth as first baseman Abby Lineman would drive a solo homer to deep center field, cutting the Raven lead down to 5-1 with SNHU's first run of the afternoon. With the Penmen bats warming up, shortstop Bella Dickinson would then smack a three-run home run over the left field fence, bringing the visitors to within one at 5-4 in the top of the fifth inning.

However, Pierce was also not finished hitting bombs, as they would answer in the bottom of the fifth with Haley Bigwood's second two run blast of the game, this time going yard to left-center field.

In the sixth, the Penmen would continue the back and forth scoring and plate two runs on two separate walks, followed by an infield single from Bella Dickinson to put give them their first lead of the day, 8-7. Then, in the bottom half of the frame, Franklin Pierce would bring things back to a tie with Bigwood at the plate, scoring an RBI on a walk.

With the score deadlocked at 8-all, it all came down to two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the seventh. Low and behold, sophomore Bella Williams played the hero with a purposeful single up the middle, bringing home the winning run to walk it off for the Ravens by a score of 9-8.

Junior Abby Poirot (Winstead, Conn.) returned to the circle for her ninth start of the season, allowing four runs on seven hits through five innings of work, walking one batter. Freshman Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) would in relief of Poirot, and would toss through two thirds before heading back to the dugout, allowing four runs on three hits and three walks while striking out one. Poirot would re-enter the game and toss the last 1.1 innings, not allowing a single with three straight strikeouts to retire the SNHU side in the seventh claim the win (7-3).

Franklin Pierce University Softball will enjoy a few days off before returning to home conference play on Saturday April 15^th, where they face in-conference opponent Pace University for the doubleheader series starting at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. at Bisaccia Field.