EASTON, Mass.—The Southern New Hampshire University softball team split a doubleheader with Stonehill College in Northeast-10 action on Sunday afternoon, winning the first game 3-2 before falling 5-4 in the nightcap. With the split, the Penmen fall to 5-15 overall and 3-1 in NE-10 action, while Skyhawks set their record at 7-13 overall and 3-1 in league play.
The Penmen took an early lead in game one, posting three runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, Amanda Barton (Franklin, N.H.) walked. Cristy Jenkins (Hudson, Mass.) and Kelsea Cheney (Abington, Mass.) then hit back-to-back homeruns to take the 3-0 lead. Stonehill would answer with a run in the bottom of the first and a solo homerun in the bottom of the seventh, but SNHU would hold onto the 3-2 lead to post its third-straight conference win.
Kelsey Griffin (Scarborough, Maine) earned her third win of the season in the circle for the Penmen, sacrificing five hits and two walks while striking out eight in the complete game effort. Cheney led the Penmen in game one with two hits, while Jenkins and Cara Daly (Plainville, Mass.) also recorded hits.
Samantha Krantz took the loss for the Skyhawks, giving up four hits and five walks while striking out four. Chelsea Stryker and Kelsey Wilcox each tallied two hits in game one for Stonehill, while Kaitlyn Miller added a single hit.
SNHU would take another 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game two, as Jenkins reached on a fielder's choice and advanced on a single to left field by Cheney. Both runners would score on Elena Anderson's (Salem, Wisc.) first homerun of the season.
SNHU would carry the 3-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning when Stonehill posted a four-run inning. Katy Abarr started the inning with a walk, and would score on back-to-back singles by Ashley Langlois and Christina Swider. Angela Moskwa was hit by a pitch to load the bases. All three runners would score on Stryker's double to left center.
The Penmen would tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth inning as Anderson singled to left center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Melissa Vitagliano (Bedford, N.H.). Griffin would then single to left center, and Anderson would score on a throwing error by Stonehill's second baseman.
With the game tied entering the seventh inning, the Penmen were unable to generate a run. In their last at-bat, the Stryker would work a walk, advance on a sacrifice bunt, and score on a double by Abarr to solidify the 5-4 win.
Dolores Mattice (Schenectady, N.Y.) took the loss on the mound for SNHU, giving up seven hits and four walks while striking out seven. Barton and Anderson each had two hits for the Penmen in the nightcap.
Lindsey McKillop pitched 5.2 innings and sacrificed seven hits and one walk with no strikeouts before giving way to Kaitlyn Andrews, who pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up one hit. Swider posted a game-high three hits.
Southern New Hampshire returns to action on Wednesday, April 6, hosting UMass Lowell in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader at Penmen Field. Game times are slated for 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
