WALTHAM, Mass. – Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) of the Southern New Hampshire softball team became the program's career strikeout leader with 306 Sunday afternoon when the Penmen split with Bentley University in a Northeast-10 doubleheader. The Penmen are now 23-11 overall and 11-3 in the league, while Bentley falls to 12-23 and 4-10 in conference play.

Maloof, who gave up just two hits in the first game to help the Penmen defeat Bentley by a score of 1-0, surpassed Mel Keeler, who held the record of 300 strikeouts after wrapping up her career in 2004.

After a scoreless first inning, Southern New Hampshire scored its first and only run of the game in the second inning. Kelsea Cheney (Abington, Mass.) led-off the inning with a single up the middle, and advanced to second on a Cara Daly (Plainville, Mass.) sacrifice bunt.  The senior made it around the bases after Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) singled, and a Falcons throwing error made it possible for Cheney to score to take a 1-0 lead.

Maloof, who did not give up a hit until the fourth inning, posted 13 strikeouts on the day in the shutout, while Carly Taitz gave up seven hits and one run in the circle for Bentley.

In the second game of the day, the Penmen fell to the Falcons by a score of 2-0.

In the bottom of the third inning, Shannon Connor led-off for the Falcons with a double to left field, and advanced to third on a Jackie Gauthier sacrifice bunt. Connor continued to score when McDonough singled through the left side for an RBI and to give Bentley a 1-0 advantage over the Penmen.

Bentley built on its lead in the sixth inning when Gauthier scored from first base after singling to left field, and a Alex Borrelli double knocked in Gauthier for the second run of the game, and to take a 2-0 lead into the final inning.

The Penmen broke up Caitlin Betz no-hitter in the seventh inning while registering two hits, but could not convert them into runs. Holly Eicher (Stoneham, Mass.) got the first hit for the Penmen with a single to second base, and a Cheney rip up the middle was the second hit for SNHU.

Dolores Mattice (Schenectady, N.Y.) struck out nine batters in six innings for SNHU in the circle, while Caitlin Betz shutout the Penmen with six strikeouts and giving up just two hits.

The Penmen return to action Monday, April 22, when they continue a two-game series with Bentley in Waltham with games at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.