RINDGE, N.H.— The Southern New Hampshire University softball team was defeated in five innings by a score of 9-1 to Franklin Pierce University Monday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference action. The Penmen are now 19-10 overall, while the Ravens sit at 5-17.

After a scoreless first inning, SNHU got on the board in the second inning after Cara Daly (Plainville, Mass.) doubled to right field, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly. Morgan Farmer (Kingston, N.H.) then singled up the middle to bring home Daly, and to give the Penmen a 1-0 lead.

The Ravens answered in the following inning on a Southern New Hampshire error to tie the game at 1-1.

Franklin Pierce quickly retired the Penmen in the top of the fourth inning, and continued to build on its lead in the bottom of the inning scoring six unanswered runs to take a 7-1 lead.

SNHU was able to get a runner on base in the top of the fifth with two outs, as Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) singled, but she was caught stealing before the visitors could cut the lead.

Three more Ravens' hits scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to boost the lead to eight-runs, and end the game.

Dolores Mattice (Schenectady, N.Y.) pitched 3.2 innings for SNHU, giving up seven hits and seven runs, and totaling six strikeouts in the loss, while Mandi Adee got the win for Franklin Pierce, while allowing five hits, one run, and had two strikeouts.

The Penmen return to action on Wednesday, April 16, when they host Saint Anselm for a league doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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