MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Southern Connecticut State University softball team posted a pair of victories over Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday night, topping the Penmen 6-4 in the opener and 11-1 in the nightcap.  The Owls, who sit second in the Northeast-10 standings, improve to 35-11 overall and 23-5 in the NE-10, while the Penmen are 18-20 and 15-13 in the league.

The game marked the second time SNHU has played at home under temporary lights.  The Penmen split a doubleheader with nationally-ranked Le Moyne in last season's inaugural night doubleheader.

With the two losses, SNHU sits tied with UMass Lowell for the eighth and final NE-10 Tournament spot.  The River Hawks would have the tiebreaker on the Penmen however, as it swept Southern New Hampshire earlier this season.  SNHU closes out the regular season with a noon doubleheader Sunday against league-leading New Haven.

In the opener, SNHU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Kate Stanley (Kingston, Mass.) led off with a single up the middle and scored on a single by Kelsea Cheney (Abington, Mass.).

Southern Connecticut would score five times in the top of the third.  Alyssa Downs led off the frame with a solo shot to tie the game 1-1, and two batters later, Stacy Pouliot made it 3-1 with her two run blast to center.  The Owls would get run-scoring doubles from Kristin Whitley and Alyssa Pagano as well.

The hosts would get a run back in the fourth as Cristy Jenkins (Hudson, Mass.) led off with a single and scored on a single by Melissa Pessotti (Burlington, Mass.).  Southern Connecticut reclaimed a four-run lead in the fifth when a Megan Caporossi double plated Khristle Lee.

Elena Anderson (Salem, Wis.) would make it 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth when her two run homer to left also scored Jessica Berardi (Raynham, Mass.), who reached on a one-out walk.  The Penmen would get the winning run to the plate with no one out in the top of the seventh as Andrea Clausi (Kingston, N.Y.) and Kelsey Griffin (Scarborough, Maine) led off with back-to-back singles.

Berardi reached on a fielders' choice, with Clausi thrown out at third on a grounder to short.  Stanley would strike out, and after Anderson walked to load the bases, Jenkins would lift a fly ball to center to end the game.

Caporossi and Whitley each had two hits for Southern Connecticut as the Owls outhit the Penmen 10-7.  Jayme Larson took down the win for SCSU, allowing seven hits while fanning six.  Griffin took the loss for SNHU, surrendering 10 hits and six runs (five earned) while striking out four.

Southern Connecticut jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings in the nightcap and took an 8-0 lead in the fourth when Caporossi belted a three-run home run.  The Penmen would score their only run in the fourth when a Griffin single plated Pessotti.  The Owls would grab three more runs in the top of the seventh.

Caporossi and Brittany Bucko each knocked in four runs apiece in the nightcap as Southern Connecticut outhit the Penmen 11-6.  Pessotti led SNHU with two hits in game two.

Brittany Hill went the distance for the Owls in the circle and allowed six hits while registering four strikeouts.  Jen Garloff (Lebanon, Pa.) took the loss, allowing five runs in two innings.  Griffin worked the final five innings and surrendered six hits and six runs (three earned).