Score:Â Â #12Â Southern New Hampshire University 9, Saint Anselm College 8 (10 innings)
Records:Â SNHU 18-5 (5-0 NE10), Saint Anselm 11-16 (4-5 NE10)Â Â
(Manchester, N.H.) --#12 SNHU scored four runs in the top of the tenth inning and held on for a wild 9-8 win at Saint Anselm College Thursday in the opening game of an NE10 series. Five Penmen recorded two hits, and six pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts.
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HIGHLIGHTS:
- Redshirt sophomore Nick Schwartz (Massapequa, N.Y.)Â - 2-for-5, double, 3 RBI, 3 runs
- Graduate student Idelson Taveras (Lawrence, Mass.) - 2-for-5, 2 RBI
- Redshirt sophomore Nick Assad (Franklin, Mass.) - 3 innings, 1 unearned run, 4 K
- Redshirt junior Ricky Alexy (Needham, Mass.) - 2.1 innings, 0 runs, 6 K
- Redshirt sophomore Griffin Gilbert (Concord, N.H.) - save
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Anselm opened a quick 3-0 lead, hitting a pair of home runs in the second inning by Mike Pietro and Brady Doran.
- The Penmen scored the next five runs to take a 5-3 lead. Redshirt sophomore Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.) drove in Schwartz with a fourth inning single.
- Schwartz ripped a three-run double to the left field corner in the fifth inning to put the Penmen in front, and Taveras followed with an RBI single.
- The Hawks tallied an unearned run in the fifth inning, and tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when Salvartore Pezzola homered off sophomore Trevor Anibal (Bedford, N.H.).
- SNHUÂ took a 9-5 lead in the tenth inning thanks to an RBI double by Taveras, a sacrifice fly by Caraher, a single by redshirt junior Alex Kennedy (Braintree, Mass.) and a double by redshirt sophomore Danniel Rivera (New Britain, Conn.).
- The Hawks would make it interesting in the bottom of the frame when Matt Collins ripped a three-run homer, but Gilbert came out of the bulpen to get the final two outs as the Penmen held on.
NOTES
- The Penmen picked up a 26th consecutive win over the Hawks, a string which dates back to 2013.
- Schwartz came up with a key bases-loaded hit for the second consecutive game, and his .385 average leads the Penmen.
- Key relief appearances by Assad and Alexy helped the Penmen rally to the lead. Alexy struck out six in a career long 2.1 innings.
- Thursday's game was part of a realignment of the series which will see the teams play nine innings against Friday, and two-seven inning games on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
UP NEXT
- SNHU will head back to Saint Anselm College for the second game of the four-game NE10 series Friday at 3 p.m.  Graduate student Josh Roberge (Chelmsford, Mass.) is the probable starter for the Penmen.