Palm Beach Atlantic 
Edges Franklin Pierce, 2-1
Cacchioli blast leads Sailfish past Ravens

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 22, 2005) – The Franklin Pierce softball team suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Palm Beach Atlantic today in non-conference action at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, senior Vanessa Cacchioli (Port Orange, Fla.) delivered a two-run homerun to lift the Sailfish over the Ravens.

            Franklin Pierce was led by sophomore Michelle McConnell (Elora, Ontario/Centre Wellington), who hit 2-for-3, stole a base and scored their only run of the contest. Senior captain Jessica Heaney (Greenport, N.Y./Greenport) went 1-for-1 with an RBI before leaving the game with an ankle injury, while sophomore Kamla Taylor (Sugarland, Texas/Kempner) and freshman Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) chipped in with two hits apiece.

Franklin Pierce notched their lone run in the second inning, when Heaney knocked in McConnell, who had singled and swiped second base.

Senior Melissa Cundiff (Pompano Beach, Fla.) got the start on the mound for the Sailfish, surrendering four hits and one earned run in three innings pitched. She gave way to classmate Kim Boardman (Lehigh Acres, Fla.), who shut the Ravens down over the final four innings to get the win. Senior captain Courtney Lemoie (Lincoln, R.I./Lincoln) took the loss for Franklin Pierce despite allowing only two earned runs on five hits in a complete game effort.

Franklin Pierce (1-6) will return to action tonight, as they continue play in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic with a non-conference tilt versus Rio Grande College beginning at 6 p.m.  

Boxscore & Play-by-Play

Batteries:
PBA – Cundiff (3) and Boardman (4), Kleier
FP
– Lemoie, Varone

WP – Boardman
LP – Lemoie (1-1)
SV – None
HR – Cacchioli (2-run in 4^th)