BOX SCORE

When and Where: May 4, 2017 – North Andover, Mass. (Warrior Softball Diamond)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 5, Pace University 1
Records: SNHU 27-19, Pace 18-23

Senior Nicole Gubellini (Salem, N.H.) struck out seven and allowed just an unearned run in a complete-game effort to lead Southern New Hampshire University, the fourth seed in the Northeast Division, past Pace University, the second seed in the Southwest Division, 5-1, in the Northeast-10 Conference Softball Championship quarterfinals at the Warrior Softball Diamond.

The Penmen advance to the NE10 Softball Championship semifinal, where they will face Northeast Division top seed and tournament host, Merrimack College at 3 p.m.

Sophomore Erin Garczynski (Norwood, Mass.) finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run and a walk, while juniors Katie Horiuchi (Livingston, N.J.) and Brittany Perdigao (Stoughton, Mass.) each added a hit and an RBI apiece.

After Gubellini fanned the final batter of the second to strand a runner on third, Southern New Hampshire broke the scoreless stalemate in the top of the third. After Horiuchi worked a two-out walk, Garczynski stepped in and crushed a two-run bomb to left to put the Penmen in front, 2-0. 

Neither side was able to generate any offense through the next two and a half innings until Pace was able to push across a run in the home half of the fifth. The Setters put a pair on to start the frame without out the benefit of a hit on a catcher's interference call and a walk. Two batters later, Larissa Labs snuck a single through the right side to trim the Pace deficit in half. After Gubellini fanned the following hitter, a walk loaded the bases for Stephanie Wang. Wang drilled a ball deep to straightaway center, but Horiuchi raced back and made an over-the-shoulder just in front of the wall to keep the Penmen in front.

Feeding off the momentum, Southern New Hampshire tacked on two more runs in the next half inning. Senior Devan Rabidou (Ashland, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to start off the inning before being sacrificed to second. Two batters later, Perdigao laced a single through the left side that scored Rabidou. On the very next pitch, Horiuchi drilled a gap shot double to right-center that brought in Perdigao to make it 4-1.

The Penmen added a single run in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Hannah Neverett (Nashua, N.H.), and Gubellini sat the Setters down in order in the seventh to close out the contest. 

Notes:
- Southern New Hampshire narrowly outhit Pace, 5-4, and committed the lone error of the game. Four of the five Penmen hits came with two outs, and two came with runners in scoring position.
- SNHU took advantage of seven free passes issued by Setter pitching, while Gubellini was able to work around four walks.

What's Next:
The Penmen square off with the Warriors this afternoon at 3 p.m. with a trip to the Northeast-10 Championship final on the line.

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