WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Playing in the program's first intercollegiate game in 378 days, senior Morgan Perry (Bethany, Conn.) of the nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team pitched a no-hitter in the Hawks 2-0 season-opening victory over the University of New Haven. The squad followed up its opener with a 3-0 loss in game two on Sunday.

Saint Anselm, the 17th-ranked team in NCAA Division II, starts its season with a 1-1 record. New Haven falls to 3-1 on the year. The Hawks will hit the road again on Wednesday, Mar. 24, traveling to Springfield, Mass. to take on American International College for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The no-hitter marked Perry's second ever with the last one coming in 2020 when she struck out 10 batters, allowing just one walk in the 9-0 shutout win over Cedarville in Winter Haven, Fla. She joins Lisa Petell '99 as one of the only Hawks student-athletes in program history to throw two no-hitters in a single career.

In the process, Perry struck out 16 batters in the win to tie the program's single-game strikeout record, first set by Petell, who recorded 16 strikeouts in 1998 against Southern New Hampshire. So far in Perry's illustrious career, she has fanned a total of 570 batters, holding down the third spot in the all-time list. With the complete-game shutout win, Perry has now broken the career shutout record by a lone Hawks pitcher with 26. Simultaneously, she moves up the all-time innings pitched rankings to second with 573, passing Lori Cillo '94 with 571.

The Chargers pulled away in the second game, capturing a 3-0 shutout win after holding the Hawks scoreless for the entire game.

GAME ONE – No. 17 Saint Anselm 2, New Haven 0 (Box Score)

The 2021 season opener was highlighted by the pitching of Perry, striking out 16 batters. Perry's previous career-best was 14 on Apr. 25, 2019 at Bentley and on Feb. 14, 2020 against Seton Hill. Currently, Perry is 33-1 since Mar. 9, 2019 when the Hawks defeated Ferris State, 1-0.

In the game, Perry put down seven batters through the first three innings. It was a pitching duel early in the contest with the two pitchers only allowing three hits in the first three innings. Senior Erin Thompson (Newton, N.H.) had two hits in that span, while senior Shannon Colson (Rochester, N.H.) had a double to left field in the top of the third.

After four innings of scoreless softball, the Hawks converted in the top of the fifth inning. With bases loaded and one out, senior Kat Stackrow (Wynantskill, N.Y.) laid down a bunt, running out the throw to first and helping to score Colson for the first run of the game. In the next at-bat, Thompson found a gap in left field for a single, bringing home sophomore Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.) from third. Neither team found the offense after that point for the Hawks to earn the 2-0 shutout victory over the Chargers.

Mia Iodice was in the circle for the Chargers, allowing six hits, five walks, and two earned runs over seven complete innings.

Saint Anselm racked up six hits in the game. Thompson went 3-for-4 with a run batted in, along with Colson recording two hits. Junior Bailey Cain (Wellington, Fla.) had one of the Hawks six hits, while sophomore Jess Persechino (Torrington, Conn.) made her first collegiate start in the win.

GAME TWO – New Haven 3, No. 17 Saint Anselm 0 (Box Score)

The Chargers responded early after getting no-hit in game one by scoring two runs in the first inning. New Haven followed up in the next inning, adding one run to its lead, 3-0.

The Hawks best chance to score in game two was in the fourth inning when Thompson reached first on a fielder's choice and was followed by a Lauren Washburn (Carmichael, Calif.) single. That brought Thompson to second base, but the Hawks grounded into a double play in the next at-bat.

Senior Courtney Fisher (Taunton, Mass.) earned the start, throwing one and one-third innings and allowing six hits. Sophomore McKenna Smith (Old Town, Maine) came on in relief and finished the game, striking out nine batters and surrendering one hit over four and two-thirds innings.

Ava Fitzmaurice of the Chargers claimed the win, striking out six batters and allowing one walk.

Colson keep her four-game hitting streak alive with a hit in game two. Sophomore Jill Chelton (Carlisle, Mass.), freshman Hannah Ramer (Rehoboth, Mass.), and freshman Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) all played in their first collegiate games.