CLERMONT, Fla. – The Southern New Hampshire University softball team swept in day four action in Florida, and have now won six straight. SNHU defeated University of the Sciences by a score of 11-1 in the first game, and then beat No. 20 Grand Valley State by a score of 5-1 in the second game to up its record to 7-1 overall.

In the first game of the day, SNHU scored four third inning runs, two fourth inning runs, and five more in the final inning to take the win.

Dolores Mattice (Schenectady, N.Y.) had five strikeouts through the first two innings to keep the Devils off the board early in the game, and spark a Penmen run in the third inning.

Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) started the surge with a lead-off bunt in the third to get on base. Holly Eicher (Stoneham, Mass.) then walked to push Maloof to second, and Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) singled to load the bases for Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.). Bolduc answered for the Penmen with a double to right field to score three runs, and give SNHU a 3-0 advantage.

The Devils took the 3-0 deficit into the fourth inning, but they were able to cut the lead to two scoring on a passed ball with no outs. Mattice and the defense worked to get the next three outs of the inning, and not allow any more runs.

The bottom of the inning brought in one more runs for SNHU, as three hits and a Devils' error boosted the Penmen lead to 6-1 heading into the fifth.

After two scoreless innings, the Penmen struck again with a five-hit and five-run seventh inning to seal the game at 11-1.

Mattice recorded seven strikeouts in the win, while giving up just two hits, and one run.

In the second game of the day, the Penmen got on the board in the first inning to take a quick lead, and scored four fourth inning runs to defeat the Lakers.

After Maloof struck out two-out-of-three Lakers in the top of the first, the junior led-off for SNHU with a single, and moved to second on a Bolduc walk. Morgan Farmer (Kingston, N.H.) followed with an RBI double to left field to score Maloof, and take a 1-0 lead.

Grand Valley State answered in the top of the third, leading off with a single, and then a sacrifice bunt to get in scoring position. Another single, followed by a sacrifice fly scored one run for the Lakers, and tied the game at 1-1.

The game did not stay tied for long, as SNHU scored four runs in the next inning to run away with the game. Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass.) drilled a three-run homer to left center to put the Penmen up 4-1, and Eicher brought in the fourth run with an RBI single to score Maloof, who also reached on a single.

The Lakers made it interesting in the next inning when they led-off with a triple, but Maloof and the Penmen put away the next two batters to secure the lead and the win.

Maloof totaled five strikeouts in the victory, and allowed five hits and one run in seven innings of work.

The Penmen will resume play at the National Training Center on Thursday, March 6 when they face Grand Valley State again in an 11:00 a.m. game, and then will play Cedarville at 1:00 p.m.

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