MANCHESTER, N.H. – No. 18 Southern New Hampshire University split a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader at Saint Anselm College on Sunday. The Penmen took game one of the twinbill in five innings by a final score of 14-3, before the Hawks posted a 5-3 victory in game two. Southern New Hampshire is now 16-5 overall and 5-2 in league play, while Saint Anselm moves to 11-3 and 3-1 within the confines of the NE-10.

Junior Katie Caruso (Newton, Mass.) led a 12-hit attack in the opener, as she went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI and three runs scored. Senior Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.) was also 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored, and she improved to 10-0 in the circle with her 10th complete game of the season.

After the intracity rivals went scoreless through the first two innings, the Penmen exploded for seven runs in the top half of the third. Senior Holly Eicher (Stoneham, Mass.) led off the inning with a walk before junior Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) sacrificed her over to second. A bunt single by Maloof put runners on the corners for Caruso, and she smacked an RBI double to left center that brought in Eicher with the game's first run. Junior Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) stepped in next and delivered a single through the right side to score Maloof and push SNHU in front by a pair. After sophomore Jessica Torsiello (Morris Plains, N.J.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, the Penmen plated their third run on a fielder's choice by sophomore Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.), who reached on an error on the play. Two batters later, freshman Sarah Lavallee (Candia, N.H.) blasted a grand slam to right center to make it 7-0.

The Hawks responded with three runs in the bottom of the third before Southern New Hampshire answered with a pair in the top-half of the fourth. Maloof started the inning with a double down the left field line and Caruso followed with a two-run shot to left to put the Penmen in front, 9-3.

Southern New Hampshire capped the game's scoring with five runs in the fifth. Eicher drilled a one-out solo shot the left center before Hannan walked and Maloof reached on an error. Caruso knocked in Hannan with her third extra-base hit of the game, and Bolduc plated Maloof with a single through the left side. Caruso came around to score on a Torsiello double and a Morrissey sacrifice fly provided the final margin of victory.

Eicher finished 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI in game one, while Bolduc added two hits, two runs and drove in a pair in the victory. Maloof scattered six hits over five innings of work and struck out five Saint Anselm hitters.

In game two, the two teams kept each other off the scoreboard through the first and second innings before the Penmen jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third. Maloof, Caruso and Bolduc each recorded one-out singles to load the bases for Torsiello, and she provided an RBI groundout to make it 1-0. Morrissey then reached on a fielding miscue by the Hawks, and Caruso and Bolduc crossed the plate on the throw.

In the home half of the frame, Saint Anselm scored all-five of its runs with the aid of a pair of Penmen errors. Pattie Turner led off the inning with a double to right before Julie LeClair singled and Hannah Byrne walked to load the bases. Hannah Paitchel reached on an error that scored LeClair and Turner to make it 3-2, and Kasey Moran singled to center to make it 3-3. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout left runners on second and third with two outs, Emily Crannell was able to plate the final two runs when she the beneficiary of the second Southern New Hampshire error of the inning.

Sophomore Nicole Gubellini (Salem, Mass.) moved to 5-3 on the season after tossing the first 2.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs. Senior Rebecca Sherwood (Braintree, Mass.) closed out the game by scattering four hits in 3.1 innings of shutout relief. 

The Penmen are back in action on Monday when they make the trip to Franklin Pierce University for a doubleheader with the Ravens slated to begin at 3 p.m. The Hawks also resume play on Monday when they travel to Bentley University to take on the Falcons at 4:30 p.m. 

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