GAME 1 BOX SCORE     GAME 2 BOX SCORE

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Southern New Hampshire University and Saint Thomas University split a softball doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Field, with the Penmen taking a 2-0, nine-inning victory in game one while the Bobcats posted a 5-2 win in the nightcap.  SNHU is now 2-4 on the season while Saint Thomas is 9-11 overall.

In the first game, Southern New Hampshire broke open a scoreless game in the top of the ninth.  With the international tiebreaker rule in effect, Nicole Arpin (Cheshire, CT) was placed on second.  The first batter, Karissa Bettencourt (Norton, MA) popped out while trying to lay down a bunt, but Michelle Maranto (Hampstead, NH) singled to move Arpin to third.  After Elena Anderson (Salem, WI) popped out, Ashley Bernstein (Stoughton, MA) delivered a two-run double to center to give the Penmen the lead and the eventual win.  Saint Thomas would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth.

Freshman pitcher Kyla Puccini (North Dighton, MA) earned the complete-game victory for SNHU, allowing just three hits while striking out five.  Bettencourt and Bernstein each had doubles for two of the five Penmen hits in the opener.

In the second game, the Bobcats would open the scoring with two runs in the second on a two-run single by Koely Kempisty.  The Penmen would get a run back in the fourth when Bernstein led off the inning with a single.  The next batter, Melissa Pessotti (Burlington, MA) doubled to left, and Bernsten would score when the Saint Thomas relay throw to the plate was errant.

The hosts scored in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1, but a solo home run by SNHU's Melissa Vitagliano (Bedford, NH) in the sixth made it a one run game again.  Saint Thomas would tack on two runs in the bottom of the sixth when it banged out four hits.

Five different players had hits for the Penmen in the nightcap.  Bernstein took the loss, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in six innings of work while fanning three.

SNHU continues its Florida swing Monday when it travels to Barry University for a 5:00 doubleheader.