Rindge, NH (April 5, 2022) – After starting the regular season 16-0 the Franklin Pierce University softball team took the Bisaccia Softball Field for a Northeast-10 Conference double header against the University of New Haven Chargers. After falling in the first game 4-1 senior Abbey Primavera (Spring Hill, Fla.) shut the door for the Ravens in game two helping her team to a 2-1 victory.

With the split the Ravens bring their record to 17-1 overall this season and 5-1 in the NE10. The Chargers stay at .500 overall 10-10 this season and improving to 4-2 in conference play.

Game One:

The Ravens took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Following a 1,2,3 top of the inning Sophomore Ashley Cangiano (North Attleboro, Mass.) singled on a hard hit ball to center field. Hailey Bigwood (Athol, Mass.) followed up with a single of her own, then Hailey Melchert (Lake Orion, Mich.) singled with one out in the inning to load the bases. Senior Maiah Lopez (Oxnard, Calif.) stepped into the batter's box with two outs and three on base before working a walk to bring across the game's first run.

There was only one other play that resulted in runs coming across home plate in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Maeve Loughheed started the inning by reaching first by way of a fielding error followed by a single by Graduate Student Melissa Bike and a walk by Hailey Laforte to load the bases. With one swing of the bat senior Mya Case put a ball well past the wall in left field to give her team a 4-1 lead.

Junior Selena Aponte earned the win her sixth of the season (6-4) working the full 7 innings for the chargers allowing only 1 run on 5 hits and striking out 1. Junior Madison Labrie (New Ipswich, NH) was credited with the loss tossing 5 full innings allowing 4 runs on 3 hits. Sophomore Abby Poirot (Winstead, Conn.) entered in relief in the sixth inning pitching a pair of scoreless innings to close the game.

Game Two:

The second game of the double header fared much better for the home team from the first pitch. Primavera held the chargers off the board in the top of the opening frame while the offense took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Junior Melissa Konopinski (Butler, NJ) started the inning with a lead off triple on a ball hit to the left side corner of the outfield. Graduate Student Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.) walked then stole second to apply pressure with one out in the inning. Cangiano followed up with a ground ball hit to third and reaching on the fielders choice while Konopinski showed off the jets and beat the throw to home. Cangiano stole second and kept the pressure on while Bigwood sent a long fly ball out to right field allowing Hinckley to tag up and score.

New Haven got one run back in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice line out to center field by Senior Nahtali Simpson. Hailey Polisano led off the inning with a triple and then scored on the very next at bat thanks to Simpson's sac fly.

The comeback effort wasn't enough as Primavera and sophomore Sabrina Gonzalez (Chandler, Ariz.) combined to shut the door. Primavera (7-0) earned the win working 5 full innings allowing just 1 run on 4 hits and fanning 3. Gonzalez picked up her second save of the season with no hits and a single walk in 2 innings of work. Senior Mia Iodice (4-5) earned the loss pitching all six innings for the Chargers surrendering the 2 runs on 1 hit and 2 walks.

Next up for the Ravens is a lengthy road trip starting with a trip to NE10 Conference opponent Stonehill Skyhawks for a double header on Saturday April 9^th. First pitch is scheduled for 12 and 2 p.m. in Easton, Mass.