MANCHESTER, N.H. – Six fourth inning runs were the difference for the Southern New Hampshire University softball team as it defeated Assumption by a score of 9-1 Sunday afternoon to close out the regular season, and to clinch its second straight Northeast-10 Northeast Division Regular Season Championship. The Penmen complete its schedule with a 27-13 record overall, and 16-9 in the conference, while the Greyhounds fall to 16-20 and 10-13 in the league.

With the win, the Penmen clinch a first-place spot in postseason play, which results in a first round bye.

Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) led the Penmen offensively going 2-3 at the plate, including a double and a homerun, as well as five RBIs and one run.

After sweeping the Greyhounds Friday, SNHU came out with the same energy, scoring early to get a lead. In the first inning, the visitors were able to get runners on second and third with one out to setup a Bolduc RBI groundout to third base to score the first run of the game and take a 1-0 lead.

The Penmen continued to build on its lead again in the top of the third scoring two more runs. Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass.) led-off the inning with a double to left field. With one out, Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) singled through the left side to score Stanasek and go up two. Maloof moved to third base on a fly out, and was plated on another Bolduc RBI double to take a 3-0 lead.

Maloof was able to strikeout Assumption's side in the bottom of the inning, before the Penmen scored six more runs in the top of the fourth.

Stanasek continued with a hot bat as she tripled to right center to score two runs, and Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) followed with a single to score Stanasek for another run. Bolduc then earned her third, fourth, and fifth run batter in on a three-run homerun to left field to give SNHU a 9-0 lead.

Assumption was able to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double, but it was not enough as the Penmen were able to put away the Greyhounds in five innings.

Maloof pitched five innings for the Penmen, upping her record to 17-7 overall. She totaled eight strikeouts, while giving up just two hits and one run.

The Penmen return to action in the Northeast-10 Championship which is set for Tuesday April 29-Saturday, May 3. Southern New Hampshire will have a first round bye, and will travel to the top-seed of the Southwest Division for the remainder of the championship.

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