When and Where: March 23, 2023 – Rindge, N.H. (Arthur Pappas Field)
Score: Saint Anselm College 12, (RV) Southern New Hampshire University 7
Records: SNHU 11-8, Saint Anselm 4-15

Junior Mike LaRocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) homered and reached base four times, but the Penmen dropped a slugfest to Saint Anselm College 12-7 on Thursday evening in non-conference game played in Rindge, N.H.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• LaRocca – 2-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
• Junior Dylan O'Sullivan (Manchester, N.H.) – 1-3, 2 RBI
• Freshman Dyrenson Wouters (Oranjestad, Aruba) – 3-5, 2 RBI
• Sophomore Anderson Moreno (Bronx, N.Y.) – 2-4, RBI, BB, R
• Saint Anselm's Matt Collins- 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB

KEY MOMENTS

• Collins hit the game's first pitch over the left field fence for his second homer of the season.
• LaRocca homered to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1.
• SNHU took its only lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Consecutive two-out doubles by junior Danniel Rivera (New Britain, Conn.) and Moreno gave the Penmen a 2-1 lead.
• The Hawks scored five times in the top of the sixth inning, hitting three runs off Penmen reliever and losing pitcher junior Trevor Anibal (Bedford, N.H.).
• Daniel Scolaro hit a two-run shot, Will Panarello added a two-run homer, and Collins' second long ball of the night made it 6-2.
• The Penmen cut the lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Wouters ripped a two-run double to right field.
• After the Hawks went up 9-4 in the top of the seventh, SNHU responded with three runs.  Junior Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.) singled in one run and O'Sullivan's two-run double made it 9-7.
• Saint Anselm then scored three runs without the benefit of a hit in the top of the seventh inning to pull back up by five.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• LaRocca's homer was his team-leading fourth of the season.  He also leads the squad with 22 runs batted in.
• Junior Nick Schwartz (Massapequa, N.Y.) had two hits, a single and a double, to raise his season average to .419.
• Freshman Frankie DeMaro (Newburgh, N.Y.) made his first career start at third base.
• Freshman Austin Trumpour (Jensen Beach, Fla.) started his second game of the season, allowing two runs over five innings.  He allowed four hits, walked three, and struck out five.
• Graduate student Zachary Gitschier (Lowell, Mass.) worked two scoreless innings in relief for the Penmen, walking two, and striking out two.
• Saint Anselm's Taylor French made his second career start for the Hawks.  John Donovan (Win) and Adam Betty (Save) finished off he win.

NOTES

• The Penmen continue to produce at the plate, having scored 145 runs in 19 games (7.63). 
• SNHU will get another chance with Saint Anselm when the teams meet in a four-game series from March 31-April 2 at Penmen Field.
• The Penmen won four of six meetings with the Hawks last season, and lead the all-time series 59-37.
• SNHU last had a four-game losing streak from March 11-17, 2018.  That season turned out to be one of the most successful in program history with the Penmen advancing to the Division II National Championship. 

UP NEXT

• The Penmen open NE10 play on Friday with a doubleheader at American International College that starts at Noon.  The teams will also play two games on Sunday in Springfield.
• The scheduled home opener for the Penmen is Friday, March 31 at Penmen Field against Saint Anselm College.  The game time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

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