MANCHESTER, N.H. – Saint Anselm College improved to 7-1-1 over its last nine games with a 9-5 Northeast-10 baseball victory over No. 12 Southern New Hampshire University Thursday afternoon at Sullivan Park.  The Hawks, who are unbeaten in their last six, improved to 23-19-2 and strengthened its grip on first place in the NE-10's Northeast Division with an 11-4-1 mark, while the Penmen are now 34-11 and 10-8 in divisional play.

Saint Anselm took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, then scored five times in the fourth to make it 6-0, with the big blow a three-run home run off the bat of Dan DeCoste.  The Penmen got a run back in the fifth when a Matt Boulter (Wrentham, Mass.) sacrifice fly plated Jamie Wollerman (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.), who led off the frame with a double.  The Hawks tacked on three runs in the fifth to make it a 9-1 game.

Southern New Hampshire tried to get back in the game with four runs in the top of the ninth.  Darrin Standish (Southold, N.Y.) and Alejandro Diaz (Old Bridge, N.J.) worked back-to-back bases-loaded walks, then James McGowan (Mahopac, N.Y.) ripped a two-run single up the middle.  Tito Lluberes came in with two out and two men on and the tying run on deck but got Bryan Toland (Wildwood, N.J.) to fly out to end the game.

Joe Latino earned the win for Saint Anselm, working four innings in relief of Hawk starter Zach Brian, who left after two innings with an injury.  Jon Massad (Shrewsbury, Mass.) took the loss for SNHU, allowing six runs in his four innings of work.

SNHU kicks off a critical three-game home series with UMass Lowell with a noon doubleheader Saturday.