MANCHESTER, N.H. – A five-run fifth inning broke open a close game as Southern New Hampshire University claimed a 9-2 Northeast-10 baseball victory over Saint Anselm College Thursday evening at Penmen Field.  SNHU upped its record to 22-10 overall and 5-3 in the NE-10's Northeast Division, while the Hawks are 13-18-1 and 2-6 in divisional play.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead entering the bottom of the fifth, Southern New Hampshire's first five batters reached base.  Matt Boulter (Wrentham, Mass.) and Riley Palmer (Goffstown, N.H.) singled, before three straight walks issued to Jon Minucci (Madison, Conn.), Tyler Fortanascio (Oradell, N.J.) and Andy Lalli (Lakeville, Mass.) made it 4-2, with Fortanascio and Lalli recording RBIs.  At that point, Hawk starter James Farrington was lifted for Tom Hudon.

Jamie Wollerman (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) made it 5-2 when his groundout plated Minucci, while a single to center by pinch hitter Al Stanton (Sandwich, Mass.) brought in Fortanascio.  Lalli scored to make it 7-2 on a sac fly to center by Brendan O'Brien (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

Saint Anselm grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Robert Kelly homered to right, but the Penmen recorded two runs in the bottom of the inning.  Andrew Pezzuto (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.) singled with one away, then scored from first on a double by Boulter to the gap in left-center.  After a Palmer sac bunt to move Boulter over, Minucci singled up the middle to give the hosts the lead.

SNHU's other two runs came in the eighth.  A Lalli single scored Palmer, who had led off the inning with a single.  An infield single with the bases loaded by O'Brien brought in Fortanascio, who reached on a base on balls.

Palmer had three of Southern New Hampshire's 13 hits on the evening, with Lalli and Boulter each hitting safely twice, with O'Brien and Lalli knocking in two runs apiece.  John Pickowicz (Hill, N.H.) (3-0) earned the win on the mound for the Penmen, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned) in 7.1 innings of work, striking out two.  David Gibson (Hanover, Mass.) did not allow a hit in the final 1.2 innings, also recording a pair of strikeouts.

Farrington took the loss for Saint Anselm, allowing seven hits and seven runs in four-plus innings while striking out three but walking seven.  A trio of Hawk relievers worked the final five frames and combined to surrender six hits and a pair of runs.

Southern New Hampshire returns to action Saturday afternoon when it hosts Merrimack College in a noon doubleheader at Penmen Field.