DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.—The Southern New Hampshire University softball team connected for a total of 20 hits, including six homeruns, to sweep a non-conference doubleheader with Mercy College on Monday afternoon by scores of 13-4 and 7-4.  With the wins, the Penmen improve to 12-6 on the season, while the loss drops Mercy to 12-9. 

Jessica Douillette (Concord, N.H.) and Nicole Newell (Abington, Mass.) (pictured) both notched grand slams in game one in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively, while Kelsea Cheney (Abington, Mass.) connected on a two-run homerun in the first inning and Cara Daly (Plainville, Mass.) connected for a three-run homerun in the top of the seventh for the Penmen. 

SNHU took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) singled and then Cheney homered, scoring both. 

Mercy would answer with four runs in the bottom of the third inning as the leadoff batter Natalie Wabshinak singled.  The next batter, Shannon Forbes, walked, and was followed by Kelly Bentson, who singled to load the bases.  Jenna Ausiello drew a walk to score Wabshinak.  Jacquelyn Couillard, the fifth batter of the inning, doubled to left-center to empty the bases and score three. 

Two walks and an error would load the bases for Douillette in the top of the fourth, who connected for a home run to left field to record her first career grand slam, scoring Cheney, Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass) and Daly. 

The Penmen would again load the bases in the top of the sixth as Cheney walked, Stanasek reached on an error, and Daly singled.  Douillette would then reach on a fielder's choice play by Mercy that caught Cheney at the plate, leaving the bases loaded for Newell, who recorded her first career grand slam on a shot to left field. 

The Penmen totaled eight hits in game one, as Maloof, Cheney, and Daly each finished with two apiece and Douillette and Newell finished with one.  Dolores Mattice (Schenectady, N.Y.) pitched two innings for SNHU, giving up four hits and four earned runs before Maloof entered in relief.  Maloof scattered nine hits and one walk in five innings of work while striking out two.  Alexandra Puglisi took the loss for Mercy and sacrificed six hits and ten runs while striking out nine in 5.2 innings of work. 

In the nightcap, scoring would begin in the top of the third as Douillette singled to center field and advanced to second on a sacrifice ground-out by Maloof.  Kate Stanley (Kingston, Mass.) would then hit a homerun to center field to collect three RBI and give the Penmen the early 3-0 lead. 

Mercy would respond with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth, but a three-run Cheney homerun in the top of the fifth would extend the Penmen's lead to 6-1.  The Penmen would tack on another run in the top of the sixth as Cristy Jenkins (Hudson, N.H.) reached on a fielder's choice and scored as Newell doubled to right field, giving SNHU the 7-1 advantage. 

Mercy tallied three runs in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly to left field and a two-run homerun to center field by Shelby Johnson to bring the score to 7-4. 

SNHU connected for 12 hits in the nightcap as Amanda Barton (Franklin, N.H.) led the team with 3-4 hitting.  Stanley, Cheney and Daly each finished with two hits apiece, while Stanasek, Douillette and Newell each added one. 

Rebecca Sherwood (Braintree, Mass.) earned her third win in the circle, scattering eight hits and three earned runs.  Johnson took the loss for Mercy, scattering eight hits and six earned runs in five innings of work before being relieved by Mary Sieber, who sacrificed four hits and one earned run while striking out three. 

Southern New Hampshire returns to action on Wednesday, March 28 when it travels to Saint Michael's College for a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader slated to begin at 3:00 p.m.