CLERMONT, Fla. – The Southern New Hampshire University softball team improved to 8-2 this season with a non-conference doubleheader sweep of No. 23 University of Indianapolis and Ferris State University on Friday at the National Training Center Softball Complex. The Penmen defeated the Hounds, 8-0, in five innings in game one before earning a 4-3, come from behind victory against the Bulldogs in game two.

Senior Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) fired a three-hit shutout against Indianapolis to pick up her fifth win of the year. Maloof struck out six and didn't walk a batter in the circle, and she was 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs batted in and two runs scored in early game.

After Maloof set down the side in order during the top of the first, Southern New Hampshire built a 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning. The Penmen started the inning with three straight singles off the bats of junior Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine), Maloof and junior Katie Caruso (Newton, Mass.). Junior Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) stepped in and delivered a two-run double before an RBI ground out from freshman Sarah Lavallee (Candia, N.H.) gave Southern New Hampshire a 3-0 advantage. Sophomore Devan Rabidou (Ashland, Mass.) followed with a single that scored Bolduc and put the Penmen comfortably in front.

The two teams would go scoreless through the second and third before Southern New Hampshire struck for a pair in the fourth. Senior Holly Eicher (Stoneham, Mass.) led off with a single and moved into scoring position on a bunt single by freshman Brittany Perdigao (Stoughton, Mass.). Hannan walked to load the bases, and Maloof followed with a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Eicher and make it 5-0. After Bolduc walked to reload the bases with two outs, sophomore Jessica Torsiello (Morris Plains, N.J.) was hit by a pitch to push across Hannan with the game's sixth run.

Maloof turned in a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, and the Penmen were able to close the game out in the home half of the frame. Rabidou singled to lead things off before Perdigao worked a one-out walk. After Hannan walked to load the bases, Maloof lined a two-run single to put Southern New Hampshire ahead, 8-0, and halt the game.

Hannan reached base three times and scored twice against the Hounds, and Rabidou was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in the victory. Perdigao chipped in with a 2-for-2 performance with a walk and a run scored.

In the second half of the twinbill, Ferris State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Emily Reed led with a pinch-hit double before Kayti Carlson walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Two batters later, Sam Bates singled to load the bases and Casey Bias followed with a two-run single.

After the Bulldogs made it 3-0 in the fifth, the Penmen rallied for four runs in the sixth. Perdigao started things off with a one-out single and advanced to third on a double by Hannan. A passed ball brought in Perdigao, and a base hit by Maloof plated Hannan and trimmed the deficit to one. Two batters later, Bolduc tagged an RBI single to tie the game at three. After Bolduc stole second, sophomore Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.) drove her in with the go-ahead run on a two-out single.

Sophomore Nicole Gubellini (Salem, N.H.) earned the victory for Southern New Hampshire after working six-plus innings and allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out four. Senior Rebecca Sherwood (Braintree, Mass.) entered the game in the seventh with one on and nobody out, and sat the next three hitters down in order to nail down the save.

The Penmen conclude their trip on Saturday with their sixth doubleheader in seven days. Southern New Hampshire takes on Lewis University at 11 a.m. before facing Saginaw Valley State University at 1 p.m.

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