MANCHESTER, N.H. – The nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team defeated Southern New Hampshire University on Sunday, narrowly downing the Penmen 2-1 in game one before walking off with a 9-1 win in game two, thanks to a grand slam by senior Kat Stackrow (Wynantskill, N.Y.) to conclude the day.

The Hawks, the 16th-ranked team in all of NCAA Division II, own a 12-2 overall record and a 9-1 record within the Northeast-10 Conference. The Penmen fell to 2-6 on the season. Saint Anselm will return to the field on Tuesday, Apr. 13 with a home doubleheader against Assumption University, starting at 3 p.m. at the South Athletic Fields.

After trailing early, the Hawks scored two runs in the middle of game one and limited the Penmen to just one run on a solo shot, holding on for the 2-1 victory. Freshman Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) secured the Hawks victory by scoring the game-winning run in the fourth inning.

In game two, the Hawks led by four runs heading into the fifth inning before Stackrow hammered a walk-off grand slam to left, winning the game via run rule. Stackrow set a personal record with four runs batted in.

The Hawks drew a season-high six walks in game two, the most since Apr. 14, 2019 when Saint Anselm recorded 10 against Merrimack.

Sophomore Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.) has now recorded one or more hits in nine consecutive games after earning two hits in Sunday's doubleheader. Senior Shannon Colson (Rochester, N.H.) is four hits away from tying Nicole Boucher '14 for second place on the all-time hits list.

GAME ONE – No. 16 Saint Anselm 2, Southern N.H. 1 (Box Score)

The Hawks struck first in the second inning as senior Lauren Washburn (Carmichael, Calif.) led off with a single down the left-field line before the Penmen recorded two errors, allowing Washburn to score.

Shannon Gifford changed the tide, sending a home run over the left-field wall for the Penmen to even the game at one in the fourth inning. Later in the inning, Emily Carbonneau singled to left center, putting runners on all bases and giving the Penmen a prime scoring opportunity, but the Hawks defense got out of the jam, allowing only one run in the inning.

Senior Abbie Murrell (Scarborough, Maine) provided the Hawks their first lead of the opening game by finding a gap in left field for O'Hara to speed home from second base. Murrell would advance to second base on the throw home.

The Hawks and Penmen would each have one base runner in the fifth inning, but Hawks senior Morgan Perry (Bethany, Conn.) and Penmen pitcher Olivia Strasser did not let up a hit to close out the game. Perry finished the day with seven strikeouts, allowing five hits and one run over seven innings. Her counterpart, Strasser, threw six innings, giving up five hits.

Sophomore Meghan Gibbons (Litchfield, N.H.) appeared in her first game of the season while also earning her first collegiate hit in game one.

GAME TWO – No. 16 Saint Anselm 9, Southern N.H. 1 (5 inn.) (Box Score)

The Penmen started game two with a first inning run. The Hawks exploded in the bottom half of the first by having a five-run, four-hit inning, pushing the lead to 5-1 heading into the second.

With bases loaded and one out, O'Hara found the left-center gap, sending Fitzpatrick and Colson home to create the 2-1 advantage. Later in the inning, Murrell drove in Washburn from third with a single to right center, increasing the advantage to 3-1 for Saint Anselm. In the next at-bat, the Penmen second basemen tried to throw O'Hara out at home but misthrew it, allowing two runs to score.

Southern New Hampshire held the Hawks hitless in the next three innings until the Penmen had two hits and left the bases loaded in the fifth inning, thanks to Fitzpatrick's diving stop at second base to get Bryn Garczynski out to end the inning.

Ahead by four runs, Washburn led off the fifth inning with a double to left field with O'Hara and Murrell drawing walks later in the inning. With the bases loaded, Stackrow belted a deep grand slam to end the game.

Sophomore picher McKenna Smith (Old Town, Maine) claimed her third win of the season and threw her sixth career complete game, allowing four hits and one run while striking out five batters.