PENMEN SLUG PAST SOFTBALL, SWEEP TWINBILL

GAME 1 BOX SCORE     GAME 2 BOX SCORE

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 13, 2007) - Visiting Southern New Hampshire University rapped out a combined 22 hits in two games to sweep a Northeast-10 softball doubleheader from American International College at Groff Field Friday afternoon.  The Penmen cruised to a 12-1, five-inning victory in game one, before the Yellow Jackets nearly rallied from a 9-0 deficit in the nightcap to fall 10-8.  SNHU is 7-7 and 4-4 in NE-10 play while the Yellow Jackets are 9-19 and 3-7 in the league.

In the second game the Penmen would use five hits to plate six runs in the top of the first to take a 6-0 lead then would tack on three more runs in the second frame to make it 9-0 after two innings.  AIC would respond with six runs in the bottom of the third, as Tara DeMontier (Amesbury, Mass.) got the Yellow Jackets on the board with a three-run double to center.  Katelyn Elie (Worcester, Mass.) would make it 9-6 with a three-run home run.

Andrea Clausi would give the Penmen another run in the top of the fourth with her solo home run, but American International would score twice in the bottom of the frame.  After Teresa Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.) walked to lead off the inning, Brittany Provost (Delanson, N.Y.) belted a two-run home run to right to make it 10-8.

Elie would finish with a pair of hits for AIC as each of the top seven batters in the Yellow Jacket lineup had at least one hit.  Sara Puglisi (Amsterdam, N.Y.) took the loss for AIC, working the first then returning in the third when a line drive off relief pitcher Sara Swepston (Dallas, Pa.) forced her from the game.  In five innings Puglisi allowed six hits and struck out seven.  Ashley Smith picked up the win for SNHU, allowing three hits in four innings of relief.  Clausi led the Penmen at the plate, going 2-4 with a pair of RBI.

In the first game, SNHU jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two frames and scored in four of five innings, closing out the scoring with a four-run fifth.  AIC would grab its only run in the bottom of the first when Provost worked a one-out walk and later scored on an error.

Mary Bradford allowed just one hit over five innings, a bunt single to DeMontier, to earn the win.  She also did not allow a baserunner over the final four innings.  Karissa Bettencourt went 3-4 with three runs scored for SNHU, while Valerie Martins had a pair of RBI.  Ashley Deegan (Madison, Conn.) took the loss in a complete-game effort for the Yellow Jackets.

AIC hosts Saint Rose in a noon twinbill on Saturday.