MANCHESTER, N.H. – Sarah Lavallee had walk-off hits in both games to give Southern New Hampshire University a pair of one-run wins over the Saint Anselm College softball team, as the Hawks fell by scores of 1-0 in 10 innings and 4-3 on Wednesday afternoon at SNHU Softball Field.
Southern New Hampshire 1, Saint Anselm 0 (10 inn.) | Box
After Arika Brochu and Lavallee kept the opposing offenses scoreless for nine innings, Lavallee drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th with a single to give Southern New Hampshire (18-9, 10-3 NE-10) a 1-0 win over Saint Anselm (9-19, 5-10 NE-10) in game one.
After starting with a runner on second in the bottom of the 10th due to the international tiebreaker, Southern New Hampshire loaded the bases after a fielder's choice on a bunt and walk. Lavallee followed with a liner to the gap in left-center to end the opener.
In the top of the inning, Michaela Criscione started on second, moved to third with two outs, but was left there by Lavallee. Lavallee improved to 9-4 on the season by holding the Hawks to eight hits in 10 innings with four strikeouts and no walks.
Brochu allowed just the one unearned run on six hits in the longest start of her young career. The freshman walked three and struck out two, while extending her run of allowing two or fewer earned runs to 10 appearances in a row.
Saint Anselm had a chance to break the deadlock in the top of the sixth after loading the bases with one out on a pair of errors and a double by Julie LeClair. However, Lavallee got out of the jam with a fly ball to right and Erin Garczynski gunned down a runner at the plate.
Southern New Hampshire threatened in the bottom of the sixth with runners on second and third and two outs, but Brochu got Katie Caruso to hit a soft liner to Emily Crannell at second base.
Shannon McLaughlin was 2-for-4 at the plate in the opener for the Hawks, while six others had one hit apiece. Mo Hannan was the lone SNHU player with two hits, going 2-for-4.
Southern New Hampshire 4, Saint Anselm 3 | Box
Southern New Hampshire hit solo home runs in each of its final three innings at the plate to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the nightcap. Lavallee capped the comeback by hitting a 3-2 pitch over the center-field fence with one out in the bottom of the seventh for her second walk-off hit of the afternoon.
After SNHU scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first, Saint Anselm scored the next three runs to take a 3-1 lead. In the top of the third, the Hawks strung together three two-out hits culminating with a two-run double to left by Megan Murrell to go ahead.
The Hawks added a run in the top of the fifth with another two-out hit. After Criscione singled to open the inning and a pair of fielder's choices, Karoline Leavitt doubled to left-center field to score Amanda Bickford from first to make it 3-1.
The Penmen tied the game on solo home runs to left by Jessica Torsiello to lead off the fifth and Lindsey Bolduc with one out in the sixth. In addition to the three solo home runs, Brittany Perdigao was 2-for-3 with a run for SNHU.
Leavitt, Murrell and Pattie Turner each had two hits for Saint Anselm. Leavitt was 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and an RBI, Murrell was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Turner was 2-for-4. Bickford scored twice in the game two loss.
Sam Hennequin gave up just five hits and struck out four in 6.1 innings but was undone by the three solo home runs. Nicole Bubellini worked the first five innings for SNHU before giving way to Stephanie Martin, who earned the win by allowing a hit and a walk in two scoreless innings.
Martin entered the game in the top of the sixth with runners on first and second and nobody out for the Hawks. After a groundout left runners at second and third with one away, Martin got a grounder to third and a strikeout to wriggle out of trouble and keep the Hawks' lead at 3-1.
Saint Anselm gets right back at it by hosting Franklin Pierce for two on Thursday, April 14 at South Athletic Fields. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
