Recap by student-staff writer Colin Struckman 

RINDGE, NH (4/24/2024) – Hailey Bigwood highlighted game 1 with 2 RBIs in an exciting 5-2 win, but the Franklin Pierce Ravens softball team couldn't complete the sweep against the Saint Anselm Hawks, falling 6-4 in game 2.  

Score: 
Game 1: Franklin Pierce 5, Saint Anselm 2 
Game 2: Franklin Pierce 4, Saint Anselm 6 
Records: Franklin Pierce (23-13, 10-8 NE-10), Saint Anselm (19-20, 11-7 NE-10) 
Location: Melissa Bisaccia Field, Rindge, NH 
Date: April 24, 2024 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

Game 1: 

• The Ravens started the bottom of the 1^st inning off with a bang. Sam Sylvester (Morris, Conn.) roped a double to left field to lead off the inning. Then, Hailey Bigwood (Athol, Mass.) smoked a triple to right field, scoring Sylvester to put the Ravens ahead 1-0.  
• The Hawks wasted no time responding in the top of the 2^nd inning. Rose Reitmeyer led off the inning with a stinging solo homer, leveling the score at one a piece.  
• The Ravens countered in the bottom of the 2^nd inning. Raylee Gilbert (Waterville, Maine) got things started with a single to right field. That was followed up by Charlit Hartenstein (Massapequa, N.Y.) rifling a double to center field, scoring Gilbert and giving the Ravens the 2-1 lead.  
• After 2 scoreless innings, the Hawks got back on the board and tied the game.  
  Alyssa Wironen and Audrey Arsenault each singled, which brought up Jamie Calkins who reached first on an error, bringing a run to tie the score 2-2.  
• The Ravens responded quickly in the bottom of the 5^th. Jenna Murray (Wilbraham, Mass.) led off the inning with a double to left field. Andie Anderson (Phoenix, Ariz.) then replaced her as a pinch runner. She made an immediate impact, stealing third then scoring on an error by the catcher to give the Ravens the lead back, 3-2.  
• The Ravens pulled away in the bottom of the 6^th inning. Hailey Bigwood continued a dominant day at the plate by drilling a solo homer to lead off the inning, extending their lead to 4-2. The lineup continued to rake as Lita Vorseth (Mesa, Ariz.) lazered a triple to right field, who was then taken out for Savannah Arreguin (Pacoima, Calif.) as a pinch runner. Susannah Campos (Lemoore, Calif.) then came in as a pinch hitter and delivered a single to left field, scoring Arreguin and giving the Ravens a comfortable 5-2 lead.  
• The Hawks couldn't muster up any runs in the top of the 7^th, giving the Ravens the 5-2 win.  

Game 2: 

• The Ravens bats stayed hot early in game 2. In the bottom of the 1^st, Sam Sylvester led off the inning with a walk, then stole second. This set up Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.), who ripped a double to left field to score Sylvester, putting the Ravens up 1-0. Cangiano then stole third, and Lita Vorseth poked a single to center field, scoring Cangiano and making it 2-0 Ravens.  
• The Hawks produced an immediate response in the top of the 2^nd inning. A pair of RBI doubles by Gracie O'Hara and Audrey Arsenault tied the score at two apiece. They went on to take the lead in the top of the 3^rd inning as Sam Wiberg reached on an error, which brought 2 runs home and gave the Hawks the 4-2 lead.  
• Ashley Cangiano added her 2^nd hit of the game in the bottom of the 3^rd inning. She smoked a solo homer to cut the deficit to 4-3.  
• The Hawks responded with 2 runs of their own in the top of the 4^th inning. Jamie Calkins hit an RBI single to left field and Sam Wiberg reached on an error, bringing in another run and giving them the 6-3 lead.  
• The Ravens showed signs of life in the bottom of the 6^th inning. Lita Vorseth added another hit with a double to left field, followed up by an RBI single by Susannah Campos, making it 6-4 Hawks. However, they came up empty in the bottom of the 7^th inning, falling short in game 2 6-4.  

NEXT UP FOR THE RAVENS: The Ravens will square off against the Southern Connecticut State Owls on Friday afternoon (4/26) for a Northeast-10 conference double-header.