NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Brendan O'Brien (East Bridgewater, Mass.) drove in a pair of runs and Brad Monroe (Hampton, N.H.) (pictured) pitched seven strong innings to lead sixth-ranked Southern New Hampshire University to a 7-1 Northeast-10 baseball victory over Merrimack College at Warrior Diamond Saturday afternoon.  The Penmen won their eighth in a row to improve to 23-2 and 2-0 in the NE-10's Northeast Division, while the Warriors are 11-13 and 0-2 in divisional play.

Monroe upped his record to 5-1 by allowing just four hits and one run in seven innings while fanning eight without issuing a walk.  Monroe has not issued a walk in his last 16.2 innings of work.  Jon Massad (Shrewsbury, Mass.) struck out four without allowing a hit in two innings of relief to pick up the save.

O'Brien and Bryan Toland (Wildwood, N.J.) each had two hits for Southern New Hampshire while Al Stanton (Sandwich, Mass.) drove in two runs as the Penmen outhit the Warriors 10-4.

Southern New Hampshire broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the seventh.  O'Brien singled to plate Toland, who had reached on an infield single with two outs, while a single down the right field line by Kyle McGinnity (Northboro, Mass.) brought in Riley Palmer (Goffstown, N.H.).  The Penmen tacked on a run in the eighth when Jon Minucci's (Madison, Conn.) single brought in Jamie Wollerman (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.).

The guests put the game out of reach by scoring three times in the top of the ninth.  A single by Stanton brought in O'Brien and Toland, who had each reached via error, while Andy Lalli's (Lakeville, Mass.) base hit plated Stanton.

The Penmen took a 1-0 lead in the third when an O'Brien single to the opposite field in left brought in Toland, who had reached on a one-out double.  Merrimack tied the game in the fifth when Eddie Newon tripled with one away and later scored on a single up the middle by Brett Julian.

SNHU and Merrimack complete their three-game season series with a noon twinbill at Warrior Diamond Sunday.