ASTON, Pa. (February 23, 2020) - The Franklin Pierce University softball team completed a four-game weekend sweep of the University of Sciences in Philadelphia on Sunday in their season-opening series. The Ravens wrapped up the suspended second game of their double-header on Saturday finishing a 15-5 win. In-game two, they mounted a late comeback to record a 3-1 victory before they shut out the Devils en route to a 10-0 run-rule victory. With the wins, the crimson and grey improve to 4-0 on the season while USciences falls to 0-4.

As a team, the Ravens crossed the plate 40 times while slashing .333/.482/.569 with three home runs, five doubles, five triples, and 38 RBI. Their pitching was equally impressive tossing 25 innings and amassing a 1.40 ERA, 29 strikeouts, two complete games and one save.

Game One: Ravens 12, Devils 2 (Final)

Franklin Pierce jumped on the board quickly on Saturday afternoon when Maiah Lopez (Oxnard, Calif.) walked and advanced to second on a groundout. Cat Simmons (Pine Plains, N.Y.) then rolled one over to shortstop Venizya Sanchez scoring Lopez. USciences tied the game in the bottom of the second as Diane Torregrossa smashed a triple and came home on a groundout by Sara Pietropola.

The Ravens would respond with a big inning in the top of the third. Freshman centerfielder Melissa Konopinski (Butler, N.J.) singled and advanced to second on a ground out by Allie Martinez (Upland, Calif.). After a pop-out by Lopez, Madi Killebrew (Dana Point, Calif.) cranked an RBI double. Simmons drew a walk to put runners on first and second setting up Gina Hinckley (Lancaster, Mass.) to drive a two-run triple and she would score on a run-scoring single by Jess Rego (Richmond, R.I.). All four runs the Ravens scored came with two outs and gave the crimson and grey a lead they would never surrender.

Cyrena Zemaitis (Goshen, Conn.) dealt a one-two-three bottom half before the game was suspended in the top half of the fourth. Upon the continuation of the game on Sunday morning, the Devils got one back as Hannah Higgins drilled a one-out double and came around to score on an RBI single by Pietropola. Franklin Pierce would immediately answer again as Killebrew ripped her second extra-base hit of the afternoon, this time a three-bagger, Simmons then drew a walk and was pinch-run for by Alexis Briggs (Lockport, N.Y.) setting up Hinkley who blasted a three-run home run to left to give the Ravens an 8-2 advantage.

The crimson and grey tacked on four more in the sixth. Konopinski led off with a single to right and Martinez dropped down a bunt that she beat out to put two runners on for Lopez. She stroked a triple into the alley in right-center scoring a pair and after Killebrew got hit by a pitch, Lopez scored on a sacrifice fly off the stick of Briggs. Hinckley got plunked and Rego punched a single to right to load the bases ahead of Jenna Curtis (Orange Park, Fla.) who drew a walk bringing home Killebrew to wrap up the scoring as the Ravens earned the victory.

Zemaitis was strong throwing 47 pitches (38 strikes) across six innings of work. She allowed just six hits and two runs while striking out eight and not walking anyone to earn her first win of the season. Paige Schlechter took the loss for USciences going all six innings giving up ten hits and five walks resulting in 12 runs, 11 of them earned. Six Ravens notched a hit and six batters drove in a run lead by Hinckley's big game, she finished 2-3 with a triple and a home run while driving in five runs, tying the program single-game mark last reached by Jaclyn Cortese at Southern New Hampshire University on April 18, 2018.

Game Two: Ravens 3, Devils 1 (Final)

Game two would require a Franklin Pierce comeback as they served as the home team. Madison Labrie (New Ipswich, N.H.) made her first start of the season and gave up a run right out of the gate. Gabrielle Simms led off with a single before Lauren DelGiudice drove a double into right-center. Simms tried to score all the way from first but got gunned down at the plate. The throw allowed DelGiudice to advance to third and she would cross the plate on a sacrifice fly by Hannah Higgins. Labrie would settle down from there for the Ravens who would get her off the hook in the bottom of the fourth.

Hinckley led off by reaching on an error by Camille Brown and moved to second. Ashley Rosario (Queensbury, N.Y.) drew a walk before Rego grounded into a fielder's choice to give Franklin Pierce runners on first and second bringing up freshman Hailey Melchert (Lake Orion, Mich.). She came up big in her first career start smacking a three-bagger to right-center chasing home Rego and Rosario while pushing the Ravens in front. She would score two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Kaitlyn Rooney (Shirley, Mass.). Amelia Mamone (Averill Park, N.Y.) came on to pitch and tossed three innings to shut the door for the Ravens notching her first career save.

Labrie earned her second victory in as many games tossing four innings giving up just the one run and three hits while fanning a trio of Devils. Mamone got the save throwing three innings in relief allowing just a single hit and striking out one. Alexandria Jackson took the loss giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits but walked five across four innings.

Game Three: Ravens 10, Devils 0 (Final – 5 Innings)

Playing as the home team once again, Franklin Pierce wasted little time taking an early lead. The first seven Raven batters reached base safely as USciences starter Megan Master failed to record an out. Nina Cencetti came on in relief and fared slightly better, but the Ravens continued to move station to station sending 13 batters to the dish recording eight runs by way of five singles and five walks.

The crimson and grey tacked on two more to round out the scoring in the second inning. The Ravens loaded the bases with one out on a Rego single, Rosario hit by pitch and a walk drawn by Lexi Garcia (Sylmar, Calif.). Kopinski brought home Rego with a sacrifice fly before Martinez took a base on balls chasing Cencetti from the game in favor of Alexandria Jackson. She promptly allowed a run-scoring single to Lopez before getting out of the jam by forcing Killebrew to ground into a fielder's choice. In total, Franklin Pierce scored ten runs on seven singles, seven walks, and one hit batter across the first two innings.

On the mound, Zemaitis dominated from start to finish earning her second win of the day pitching five innings while allowing a mere two hits, not walking a batter while fanning nine. Master got tagged with the loss by surrendering seven runs, all earned, on four hits and three walks while not getting an out. Lopez and Rego were standouts at the plate for the Ravens. Lopez went 2-for-3 at the dish while driving in a trio of runs while Rego also went 2-for-3 posting two RBIs. All nine Raven starters reached base safely while six different players notched hits and six players had an RBI as the Ravens earned the run-rule win.

Franklin Pierce returns to action when they travel to Little River, South Carolina to compete in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic beginning on March 1st when they play Mansfield University (1-3, 0-0 PSAC) for a twin bill starting at 9:30 a.m. on Field 6.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce softball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://fpuravens.com). You can also follow the softball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPUSoftball_) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpu_ravens_softball).