GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Senior Jackie Giannino (Beverly, Mass.), sophomore Lauren Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) and freshman Nicole Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.) each knocked in a pair of runs as the Saint Anselm College softball team swept a doubleheader at Adelphi University on Sunday afternoon at Ficke Field. The Hawks edged Adelphi, 2-1, in the first game before taking game two, 10-5.

After a five-game skid, the Hawks have righted the ship and are now riding a season-best five-game winning streak. They are 16-14 on the season, including 8-7 in Northeast-10 play, while the Panthers fall to 16-20, 10-8 NE-10.

Game one was a tightly-contested pitcher's duel between sophomore Shannon Dalton (Concord, Mass.) and Adelphi starter Leighann Bell, as the two teams were deadlocked in a 0-0 tie through the first four innings.

Saint Anselm broke through in the top of the fifth when Gianinno led off the inning with a home run to right field that made it 1-0. The Hawks seized a 2-0 lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Galavotti.

The insurance run would prove important as Deandra Leo homered to right with one out in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Christina Boehn (Stamford, Conn.) to make it 2-1. Boehn would close the door to earn her third win of the season.

Dalton tossed four hitless innings as she walked three and struck out one. Boehn went the final three innings, giving up one run on one hit, while walking one and striking out two.

Bell went the distance and allowed two runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out five.

Giannino, Galavotti and Boucher each went 2-for-3 in the game. Giannino drove in a run and scored a run, while Galavotti picked up an RBI.

Saint Anselm kept the momentum and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game two when senior Kayla McEachern (Stoneham, Mass.) and junior Kat Scafidi (Hudson, N.H.) each scored on wild pitches. The Hawks stretched their lead to 3-0 in the fourth when freshman Cara Crowley (Lynn, Mass.) hit an RBI single up the middle.

Adelphi grabbed a run back in the bottom of the fourth before Saint Anselm scored four in the top of the sixth to make it 7-1. Scafidi drove in the first run with an RBI single before the next three runs scored on a pair of Adelphi errors and were unearned.

The Panthers struck for three in the bottom of the inning to cut it to 7-4, but the Hawks kept the pressure on with three more in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Boucher and an RBI double by Galavotti. Adelphi pushed one across in the bottom of the seventh, but would get no closer as Boehn again finished it off.

Boehn (4-5) went the distance, relinquishing five runs on 10 hits. She struck out three and walked three.

Boucher was 3-for-5 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Crowley was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Galavotti went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.   

The Hawks return to action Wednesday, April 20 (3:30/5:30 p.m.) when they travel to take on Saint Michael's College in doubleheader action.