RINDGE, N.H. (5/16/26) – The Franklin Pierce University softball team saw its historic 2026 season come to an end on Saturday evening in the NCAA Division II East Regional at Melissa Bisaccia Field. The Ravens opened the day with a dramatic 8-7 walk-off win over Caldwell in an elimination game before falling to Mercy, 3-2, in Game 5 of the regional.
Franklin Pierce closes the season with a program-record 41 wins, an NE10 Regular Season Championship, the program's first-ever national ranking, and hosting duties for both the NE10 Championship and NCAA East Regional.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Caldwell
- The Ravens struck first in the third inning when Savannah Arreguin (Los Angeles, Calif.) raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run to make it 1-0.
- Franklin Pierce broke the game open in the fourth inning with four runs. Camryn Van Valkenburgh (San Dimas, Calif.) delivered an RBI single before Zoey Galindo (Lakewood, Calif.) ripped a two-run double to right field. An error later in the inning allowed another run to score as the Ravens built a 5-0 advantage.
- Caldwell stormed back late, scoring three runs in the sixth before taking a 7-5 lead in the top of the seventh behind a pair of RBI hits from Kendall Mazur.
- Trailing by two entering their final at-bat, the Ravens answered immediately. Arreguin reached on an error and Charlit Hartenstein (Massapequa, N.Y.) followed with a single to put two on.
- With one out, Maisie Lerette (New Gloucester, Maine) launched a three-run walk-off home run to center field to keep the Ravens alive with an 8-7 victory.
Lerette finished with three RBI, while Galindo added two RBI and Arreguin scored twice. Hartenstein recorded two hits in the win
Georgia Clough (Barrière, British Columbia) struck out six across 6.2 innings, while Brooke Koehler (Surpise, Ariz.) earned the win in relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Mercy
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In the regional semifinal later that evening, Mercy broke a scoreless game open in the fifth inning when Madelyn Perrone hit a three-run home run to give the Mavericks a 3-0 lead.
- The Ravens mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Van Valkenburgh singled to begin the frame before Andie Anderson (Phoenix, Ariz) tripled to left center to bring Franklin Pierce within 3-1. Arreguin followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one, but the Ravens were unable to complete the comeback.
- Anderson finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Arreguin added an RBI single. Alicia Ott (Stockton, Calif.) also doubled in the loss.
- Brooke Koehler took the loss after allowing three runs over 4.2 innings, while Kennedy Morris (Stafford, Conn.) tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in relief.
Despite the season-ending loss, the 2026 campaign marked one of the most successful seasons in program history for Franklin Pierce softball, highlighted by the program's first NCAA East Regional hosting opportunity and multiple program records throughout the year.
