NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Six second inning runs was the answer for the Southern New Hampshire University softball team as it defeated Merrimack College Friday afternoon by a score of 7-5 in Northeast-10 Conference play. The Penmen improve to 9-6 with the win and are now 1-0 in the conference, while the Warriors fall to 6-12 overall and 1-2 in league play.

After the Warriors took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Penmen answered with six runs in the following inning to take a 6-1 lead.

A three-run homerun and three singles scored six runs in the inning. Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass.) led off the inning with a single, and eventually advanced to third on a Merrimack error. Morgan Farmer (Kingston, N.H.) loaded the bases after singling to first base, and a Jessica Douillette (Concord, N.H.) single scored two Penmen runs while advancing Farmer to second base. Cristy Jenkins (Hudson, N.H.) then fouled out to the right fielder and Farmer scored from second for the third run of the inning.

Freshman Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) followed Jenkins sac fly with a three-run homer to left field for the fourth, fifth, and sixth runs of the inning and to take a five run lead on the Warriors.

Merrimack answered in the third inning with a three-run shot to left field from Keaira Perry, and the Warriors scored one more run in the fifth inning on a penmen error, to cut the SNHU lead to just one run headed into the sixth.

Southern New Hampshire quickly recovered its multiple run lead in the sixth inning when it capitalized on a Warrior error to score one more run and secure the win at 7-5.

Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) earned the win in the circle for SNHU while striking out six batters, and giving up just two hits. Valerie Bauer pitched five innings for the Warriors while striking out four and giving up six Penmen runs.

The Penmen return to action tomorrow when they host Adelphi University for a league doubleheader at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. on Penmen Field.