COLCHESTER, Vt. (March 21, 2021) - For the second time in two days, the Franklin Pierce University softball team took on the Purple Knights of Saint Michael's in a doubleheader. Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) shined for the second day in a row, as she earned the win in the second game with 10 strikeouts and one earned run while throwing the final five innings. The 3-1 win in the second game allowed the Ravens to take three out of four games in the weekend series, after Saint Michael's opened the day with a 4-3 victory.

With the split, the Ravens move to 3-1 on the young season, while the Purple Knights move to 1-3. Franklin Pierce will be back in action on Wednesday, March 24, for a non-conference doubleheader at Southern Connecticut State at 3 p.m.

Game 1: Saint Michael's 4, Franklin Pierce 3

The Ravens started strong in the top of the first inning, as they brought leadoff batter Maiah Lopez (Oxnard, Calif.) around to score on a Susannah Campos (Lemoore, Calif.) single to right field.

The lead would not last long, as the Purple Knights' bats woke up early as well, with two runs in the bottom of the first. Grace Trautman crossed home plate on a single from Hannah Arruda. Arruda followed her home in the next at bat, on a double down the third-base line off the bat of Hope Hiscock.

The pitching staffs dominated the middle innings, before the Ravens reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth.

With two on and one out, Madi Killebrew (Dana Point, Calif.) sent a double to center field, which plated Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) from second and pushed Jess Rego (Richmond, R.I.) from first to third. Rego then crossed the plate thanks to Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.), who hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Ravens the lead.

Once again, the lead would not stick, as Saint Michael's found a way to get two more runs across in the bottom of the sixth, which ultimately won the game. Jenna Hoops got a single through the left side, which scored Courtney Norton. Trautman followed and squeaked a ball into center field for a two-out single, which drove in Brandenburg with the go-ahead run.

Abbey Primavera (Spring Hill, Fla.) started on the mound for the Ravens, worked three innings, and gave up two runs on four hits. Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) took the loss (0-1) out of the bullpen with three innings of work and two earned runs against her.

Jackie Cherry took over in the second and picked up the win (1-1) after throwing the final 5.1 innings for Saint Michael's. She allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out one.

Game 2: Franklin Pierce 3, Saint Michael's 1

The Ravens started the second game in the same fashion as the first, with Lopez leading off and finding her way across home plate. This time, she walked, moved all the way to third on a Rego sacrifice bunt and scored on a Killebrew groundout to short. Unlike the first game, the Ravens would hold the lead throughout.

Franklin Pierce would bring another run across the board in the third inning to extend the lead to 2-0. Killebrew led off the inning with a walk and later stole second base. She then advanced to third on an Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) groundout and scored on a Campos single to left.

Trautman would bat Brandenburg home in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 2-1, but it would not be enough, as the Ravens added an insurance run in the top of the sixth. Ari Rodriguez (Clinton, Mass.) reached base on an error, stole second, and then scored thanks to Rego and a single to right field.

Amelia Mamone (Averill Park, N.Y.) started for Franklin Pierce and threw two scoreless innings with a strikeout before ceding the circle to Zemaitis. The latter picked up right where she left off on Saturday, as she piled up 10 more strikeouts while firing five innings of one-run, three-hit ball to pick up the win (2-0).

Cherry started and suffered the loss (1-2) for Saint Michael's after 5.1 innings of work. She allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits, walked two and struck out one.