AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team concluded its trip in Florida with two huge victories against No. 24 Southern Indiana and Saint Thomas Aquinas on Saturday at the Auburndale Softball Complex.
Finishing the week off as the 12th-ranked team in the NCAA Division II, the Hawks head back to New England with a 16-4 overall record. The Screaming Eagles fall to 10-4 while the Spartans drop to 0-4.
With the score tied at one, the Hawks stole the lead late in the sixth as senior Shannon Colson (Rochester, N.H.) doubled and scored the eventual game-winning run to defeat the Screaming Eagles. After losing to Southern Indiana the past three matchups, the Hawks found revenge, taking down the Screaming Eagles for the first time in program history.
In game one, Colson moved up to fourth on the program's career runs list with 100.
Junior Maddi Leite (Cumberland, R.I.) drove in four of the Hawks five runs, including two of those via home runs. Leite recorded a career-high three hits in game two.
No. 12 Saint Anselm 2, No. 24 Southern Indiana 1 | Box Score
In a rematch of the historical 2018 NCAA Division II Championship series, Saint Anselm picked up its first win in the all-time series against Southern Indiana.
Two years apart from each team's historical run, the Screaming Eagles started off the 2020 contest with a solo home run by Jennifer Leonhardt in the first inning.
The Hawks equalized in the third inning after junior Bre Klaiber (Ironton, Ohio) doubled to center field, allowing sophomore Bailey Cain (Wellington, Fla.) to score.
A key part of the game came in the top of the sixth where Murphy led off with a single. Later in the inning, Colson drove home Murphy from first off a double, earning the Hawks the eventual game-winning run.
Murphy led the Hawks in game one with two hits. She has now had two hits in the last five of six games.
Sophomore McKenna Smith (Old Town, Maine) shined in the Hawks win, allowing four hits and fanning 10 batters via strikeouts. Smith improved to 4-1 on the year. Leonhardt had the complete game loss, striking out four batters while giving up five hits.
No. 12 Saint Anselm 5, Saint Thomas Aquinas 0 | Box Score
The Hawks win was powered by Leite's long ball and senior Morgan Perry (Bethany, Conn.) pitching performance to help the Hawks defeat the Spartans, 5-0. Perry tied Lisa Petell '99 with the all-time lead in shutout victories.
Leite got the Hawks offense going early with a two-run home run to deep right-center field in the first inning. Thompson kept the momentum going with a single through the left side. Sophomore Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, NH.) converted with a runner on by hitting a ball over the center fielder, stopping at second for a double. Fitzpatrick drove in Thompson in the process, earning an early 3-0 advantage.
Leite then hit her second home run of the game in the bottom of the third to left field, giving the Hawks a 5-0 lead. Leite's last two home run performance came in the Hawks 5-2 victory over Goldey-Beacom on Feb. 17 of last year.
Throughout her outing, Perry kept the Spartans hitless in the first six innings. Perry finished with nine strikeouts, helping herself to her 10th-straight victory. Adrianna Dilal of the Spartans pitched in the first two innings, allowing six hits. Paige Toothaker pitched in the final four innings, surrendering one hit.
The Hawks return to New England for two weeks off before hosting Adelphi on Saturday, Mar. 21 with first pitch at 1 p.m.
