Garden City, N.Y. - Although the nightcap had some seventh-inning flares, the Adelphi University softball team dropped both legs of its doubleheader to Franklin Pierce University to open up NE10 play Friday, falling 5-2 and 2-1. 

Game 1: Adelphi 2, Franklin Pierce 5
Lindsey Hibbs returned to Janet L. Ficke Field for the first time since becoming Adelphi's all-time leader in strikeouts, and returned to her usual form. With three strikeouts through the first two innings, the offense was put in an optimal position early. 

Even with an early flyout from Courtney Wengryn, Jaden Farhat picked the Panthers back up in the second with a deep triple going past the center fielder's reach. A following sacrifice fly from Alexa Sacripante brought home the run to put the 'Cats on the board first. 

The third frame brought with it more pressure from the visitors. A pair of two-out singles kept the rally going, but a crucial double from clean-up hitter Haley Bigwood scored both runners and gave the Ravens their first lead of the game. The bottom half of the inning had more two-out drama, as Kellogg put herself at third on a passed ball. This time, Courtney Murphy sailed the ball to left field, tying the game back up. 

Both squads combined for just one hit in the following two innings, leaving the sixth and seventh to decide the contest. Confusion defined the top half of the sixth after runners got on the first two bags with just one out. Following a flyout to Wengryn, the ball was not returned to the circle right away, letting Franklin Pierce trap the hosts in a rundown in between first and second. In that time, the leading runner advanced to third, and in the midst of the confusion at the top of the infield, ran home as well, putting the road team back on top, 3-2. 

The offense began to fall out of tune after that, taking us into the final frame. With two more runners getting on early, a sacrifice bunt put them both in scoring position. Bigwood then hit a fly ball that stopped carrying towards the start of the outfield, falling in front of Jordyn Pasqueralli. While she was tagged out at second following an 8-3-5 putout, both runners were able to score in the further chaos. Pasqueralli later came to the plate in the bottom half as the tying run, with Kaitlyn Klepper and Zee Zee Shreter both in scoring position as pinch runners. Unfortunately, a hard lineout to first base ended the matinee. 

Game 2: Adelphi 1, Franklin Pierce 2
Newcomer Lily Kenney once again followed Hibbs to start the nightcap, and the offense did not wait as long to prosper. Letting the leadoff batter on base with a walk, a subsequent double from the Ravens' Bella Williams brought her home, with the visitors striking first this time. Pasqueralli advanced to third in the bottom half after stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice fly, but the Panthers came up short. 

Throughout the next few innings, the 'Cats were only able to track slight momentum. A double from Faith Camilleri in the second and a triple from Angela Lignelli in the fifth had the rambunctious crowd ready to roll, but once again the hosts were unable to capitalize on these hits. 

Kenney began to find her stride in the later innings, going 1-2-3 in some and never allowing more than one hit in a frame through the fifth. Franklin Pierce began to come back roaring in the sixth, as two more two-out singles kept its rally going. The third single in four batters scored Bigwood from second, doubling the road lead. 

With just two hits heading into the final inning, the Panthers looked to get on base by any means necessary. A Farhat walk got that going, with Lignelli's second extra-base hit of the day scoring pinch-runner Kellogg all the way from first base.

Facing just a one-run deficit, two more walks from Kaitlyn Klepper and Tori Parente brought up Pasqueralli to the plate. The Ravens recognized the situation, bringing in freshman pitcher Kennedy Morris to provide a fresh arm. Despite working the count, Pasqueralli fouled out to third base to end the day. 

Head Coach Carla Campagna and Adelphi will look to bounce back tomorrow (Mar. 30), when they take on Saint Michael's College at Janet L. Ficke Field. Game time is set for 12 noon.