MANCHESTER, N.H. – Two shutout performances from the pitching staff earned the Southern New Hampshire University softball team its sixth straight win in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against Saint Michael's Wednesday afternoon. The Penmen improve to 15-8 overall and 8-3 in league play, while the Purple Knights are 0-24 and 0-13 in the conference.

In the first game of the day, the Penmen defeated Saint Michael's in six innings by the eight-run rule. Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) pitched a near-perfect game while giving up just one hit in the top of the fourth inning and striking out 11 batters in six innings to aid the Penmen to an 8-0 win.

After a scoreless first inning, SNHU scored four runs in the second inning to take an early lead. Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass.) hit a solo homer to left field to put the Penmen on the board, followed by a Cristy Jenkins (Hudson, N.H.) single, which led to the second run for SNHU. Cara Daly (Plainville, Mass.) reached on an error, and a Nicole Newell (Abington, Mass.) hit a single down the right field line to score Daly. Newell scored the fourth run of the inning when Maloof hit a triple to right-center.

The Penmen continued to build on the lead in the fourth inning when they scored two more runs. Morgan Farmer (Kingston, N.H.) homered to center field for the first run, and Newell scored the second run after singling up the middle and making it around the bases on a Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) fielder's choice.

Two more runs in the sixth inning brought the game to a close as Farmer led off with a double, followed by a Newell double to score Farmer, and a Bolduc single through the left side scored Newell for the winning run for the Penmen.

Maloof earned the win in the circle for the Penmen, while Stephanie Frank was credited with the loss for Saint Michael's.

In the second game of the day, the Penmen defeated the Purple Knights by a score of 3-0 behind a shutout performance from Dolores Mattice (Schenectady, N.Y.).

The game was scoreless through three innings until Daly hit a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to give the Penmen a 1-0 advantage heading into the fifth.

Holly Eicher (Stoneham, Mass.) followed with a blast to center field in the fifth inning. The home run marked the sophomore's first of her collegiate career and boosted the Penmen lead to 2-0.

Daly drove in the final run for SNHU in the sixth inning after hitting a center field double to score Kelsea Cheney (Abington, Mass.), who led off the inning with a double down the right field line.

Mattie earned her sixth win in the circle for the Penmen. The junior struck out seven batters while giving up just two hits and no runs. Jessica Niles got the loss in the circle for Saint Michael's while striking out five and giving up seven hits.

The Penmen return to action Friday, April 12, when they host Stonehill College for a conference doubleheader at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.