MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm softball team jumped up three spots in the Northeast-10 standings this afternoon with a sweep of the visiting Saint Michael's Purple Knights in a home doubleheader.  The Hawks, who are now tied for the eighth and final NE-10 playoff spot, defeated the Purple Knights 14-4 in five innings in game one, and followed it with a 9-4 victory in game two.  The Hawks improve to 16-16 (9-9 NE-10) while the Purple Knights slip back to 8-22 (3-17 NE-10).

Game 1: Saint Anselm 14, Saint Michael's 4
The Purple Knights got off to a good start in the top of the first, as Heather French got on base with a one-out single to shortstop.  Meghan Colitti then hit an RBI triple to right-center, but she was thrown out at the plate by second baseman Lizzy LeBrun (Rowley, Mass.) off Kelly Egan's grounder.  Kelly Losi and Lindsay Bernard then both hit two-out singles to score Egan and give the Purple Knights a quick 2-0 lead.

After being retired in order in the bottom of the first, the Hawks' bats came alive in the second inning, scoring seven runs on seven hits including two RBI-triples.  Liz Trafton (Berwick, Maine) started off the inning with a leadoff single through the left side.  Kylene Pease (Ashland, Mass.) put the Hawks on the board with an RBI triple over the centerfielder's head, and Lizzy LeBrun knocked her in with another single through the left side.  Raylyn Glavin (Saugus, Mass.) moved LeBrun to second with a groundout to the pitcher, and then Amanda Massad (Grafton, Mass.), Lauren Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) and Moira McCabe (Brookline, N.H.) each hit singles to make it 5-2.  Kayla McEachern (Stoneham, Mass.) then hit the Hawks' second triple of the inning to drive in McCabe, and Trafton scored McEachern on an error by the shortstop.  By the end of the second inning, the Hawks had taken a 7-2 lead.

The Purple Knights had a few base runners in the top of the third, but none could make it past second base.  In the bottom of the third, Raylyn Glavin hit a one-out triple to right-center, and then scored due to an error by the centerfielder.  Galavotti kept the scoring going, hitting a solo homerun over the wall in left-center, to make it 9-2 at the end of the third.

Kate Condon got the Purple Knights started with an extra-base hit to right-center.  She made it to second safely, but was thrown out on a relay from Glavin to LeBrun to Pease at third as she tried to stretch the double into a triple.

The Hawks did more damage in the bottom of the fourth, scoring another five runs, two earned, on three singles, two doubles, and two errors.  McEachern started it off with a double to left. Jackie Giannino (Beverly, Mass.) hit a single up the middle and then the two runners pulled off a double steal, scoring McEachern.  Megan Walsh (Randolph, Mass.) hit a single to leftfield in her first at-bat of the game, and Kat Scafidi (Hudson, N.H.) hit a pinch-hit RBI single though the left side.  Pinch-hitter Mary Fay (Stoughton, Mass.) got on due to an error by the shortstop, and Lauren Galavotti then hit a two-out, two-RBi double to right field to give the Hawks a total of 14 runs in four innings.

The Purple Knights fought back in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs on four hits, but Shannon Dalton (Concord, Mass.) struck out Kate Condon and Carleen McLaughlin to leave the bases loaded and give the Hawks a 14-4 victory after five innings in game one.

Stephanie Frank allowed all 14 runs, 10 earned, on 15 hits in four innings, taking the loss.  Megan Lemire (Worcester, Mass.) earned the win, allowing all four runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings.  Shannon Dalton then struck out both batters she faced to secure the Hawks the win.

The Purple Knights' offense was led by Meghan Colitti, who went 3-for-3 with a triple, a run, and two RBI.  Every Hawk batter scored a run and all but one got at least one hit in the game.  Galavotti had an outstanding day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, a homerun, two runs and three RBI. 

Game 2: Saint Anselm 9, Saint Michael's 4
Shannon Dalton stayed out on the mound to start game two for the Hawks.  She shut down the Purple Knights over the first three innings, allowing just two singles and striking out five.

Moira McCabe picked up where the Hawks left off in game one, leading off with a triple to center.  McEachern drove her home with a single through the left side, and Jackie Giannino followed suit with a single to the same spot.  Liz Trafton flew out to deep centerfield, allowing McEachern to advance to third, and Giannino then stole second.  Kylene Pease got on base with a bunt single, scoring McEachern, and Giannino scored from second on the play after first baseman Lindsay Bernard dropped the throw from catcher Heather French.  Lizzy LeBrun kept it going with a double down the leftfield line, but Pease got thrown out by leftfielder Stephanie Frank on her way to third.  Glavin scored LeBrun on a two-out single, giving the Hawks a comfortable 4-0 lead at the end of the first.

The Hawks added two more in the bottom of the second, as Jackie Giannino hit a two-run homer to left, putting the Hawks up 6-0.

The Hawks had five base-runners in the bottom of the third, but none managed to cross the plate, as Liz Trafton lined out to third to strand the bases loaded after Galavotti had gotten thrown out at the plate on a force play in the previous at-bat. 

The Purple Knights kept themselves in the game in the top of the fourth, leading off with two singles and a two-RBI triple by Lindsay Bernard, who then scored on a throwing error by second baseman Lizzy LeBrun.  Dalton retired the next three batters in order, but not before the Purple Knights could cut the Hawks' lead in half, 6-3.

The Hawks replied quickly in the bottom of the inning, getting two runs back on four singles, an error, a stolen base, and a wild pitch.

Lisa Caruso (Granby, Conn.) kept the Purple Knights off the board in the top of the fifth, allowing two singles in her first inning of relief. 

Jackie Giannino continued to swing a hot bat in the bottom of the fifth, hitting a leadoff double to left.  Trafton put her on third with a single through the right side and Kylene Pease then lined out to short, but as the shortstop tried to double off pinch-runner Kat Scafidi at first, first baseman Lindsay Bernard lost control of the ball, allowing Giannino to score an unearned run for the Hawks.

Kelly Losi scored one for the Purple Knights in the top of the sixth, but the team was unable to complete the comeback, as the Hawks took a 9-4 victory in game two.

Kelly Egan allowed nine runs, seven earned, on 21 hits in six full innings for the Purple Knights.  Shannon Dalton allowed three runs on five hits while striking out seven in the first four innings, and Lisa Caruso gave up one more on six hits in the final three innings.

Every Hawk batter got a hit in game two, and three Hawks had at least three hits.  Moira McCabe went 5-for-5 with a double, a triple, and run.  Jackie Giannino went 3-for-4 with a double, a homerun, a stolen base, three runs, and two RBI, and Kylene Pease also went 3-for-4.

The Hawks conclude their homestand on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader against Pace beginning at 3:00 pm.