WORCESTER, Mass. – Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) pitched her second no-hitter in four games to lead the Southern New Hampshire University softball team to a sweep over Assumption Friday afternoon. The Penmen improve to 26-13 overall and 15-9 in league play, while the Greyhounds are now 16-18 overall and 10-11 in the conference.

The junior's no-hitter marks her third of the season, and fourth of her career. She also pitched her second career perfect game in a 5-0 win over Saint Michael's Monday.

In game one, Maloof pitched SNHU to a 12-0 win in six innings.

Neither team was able to get anything going in the first two innings, as Maloof retired four batters, and the Penmen were hitless.

However, in the top of the third inning, the Southern New Hampshire bats came alive, recording eight hits, and scored six runs. Devan Rabidou (Ashland, Mass.) led-off with a walk to get on base, followed by an Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.) bunt to move Rabidou to second, and the freshman continued to third base on a Greyhounds' throwing error. With two on, Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass.) doubled to center field to score Rabidou and put Morrissey on third. Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) then got the third hit of the inning, driving home Morrissey to take a 2-0 lead with no outs. After Hannan stole second to put two in scoring position, Katie Caruso (Newton, Mass.) hit her third homerun in three games to score three more. Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) followed Caruso and answered with a solo shot to left center for the sixth run of the inning. The Penmen took the 6-0 lead into the bottom of the inning.

Both teams were then scoreless and hitless for the next inning and a half.

The Penmen were able to get one more run on the board in the top of the fifth, to take a 7-0 lead, and five more runs in the following inning ended the game.

The visitors started off the sixth inning with back-to-back singles from Hannan and Maloof, and Caruso walked to load the bases. After an Assumption pitching change, two more runs were scored on two more Greyhounds' walks, and Cara Daly (Plainville, Mass.) singled to left field to score another pair of runs. Stanasek then singled to center for her second hit of the game and second RBI as well to give the Penmen a 12-0 lead.

Maloof put away two out of the three batters in the bottom of the sixth en route to the win.

She totaled eight strikeouts in the circle for the Penmen while allowing not hits and no runs, while Jenn Lattal gave up five hits and six runs to SNHU in a losing effort.

In game two, the Penmen scored in back-to-back innings to take a 5-3 win over the Greyhounds.

Maloof reached on a bunt with one out in the top of the third to get the scoring going, as Caruso followed with a double to move Maloof to third. Bolduc then doubled to left center to score two and to take a 2-0 lead.

Assumption answered in the following inning, scoring on a passed ball error to cut the deficit to one run.

However, in the top of the fourth, SNHU scored three more runs as Maloof and Caruso both doubled. Maloof was first as she doubled to right center to score Stanasek who reached on a single. Caruso then immediately followed with a double down the right field line to score two more and bring the run total to five.

The Greyhounds made an attempt at a comeback in the bottom of the inning when Boris homered to cut the lead to three, and again in bottom of the seventh on another solo homer to cut it to two, but Southern New Hampshire was able to put away Assumption for the victory.

Maloof earned her second win of the day in the circle for the Penmen earning three strikeouts and allowing just two runs on five hits. Rebecca Sherwood (Braintree, Mass.) pitched three innings for SNHU allowing one run on four hits.

The Penmen return to action Sunday, April 27 when they play Assumption for their final regular season game at 2:00 p.m.

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