WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) pitched a no-hitter as the Northeast Division top-ranked Southern New Hampshire University softball team defeated Southwest Division No. 1 New Haven by a score of 4-0 to win its first ever Northeast-10 Conference Championship Sunday afternoon in West Haven, Connecticut. The Penmen are now 29-13, and the Chargers are 29-16.

Maloof totaled 11 strikeouts in the circle while giving up no hits for the fourth time this season, and also went 3-4 at the plate.

After five scoreless innings, the rookies came up big for the Penmen late in the game in the sixth. Maloof led-off the inning with an infield single to the shortstop, and Katie Caruso (Newton, Mass.) followed with a fielder's choice to get on base. Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) then walked to advance Caruso to second, and the two each stole a base to get into scoring position. A pair of fielder's choices loaded up the bases for the Penmen, and with two outs, Devan Rabidou (Ashland, Mass.) was called up to pinch-hit. On the 3-1 count, Rabidou singled up the middle for her first hit of the weekend to score two and give SNHU a 2-0 lead. First-year catcher Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.) then followed with a single to the shortstop to score one more. Tesia Stanasek (Blackstone, Mass.) closed out the scoring with a single through the left side, and a Chargers' throwing error allowed Rabidou to score to take a 4-0 lead.

Maloof continued her stellar pitching in the bottom of the sixth, striking out two more batters, and then retiring the side in the seventh en route to the win.

The Penmen allowed just two New Haven base runners, while recording eight hits on the day.

Southern New Hampshire earns an automatic bid to the NCAAs, which will mark its second appearance, and will find out more details on Monday, May 5 when the selection show airs at 10:00 a.m.

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