MANCHESTER, N.H. – Led by yet another stellar effort in the circle for the Hawks pitching staff, the nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team earned two victories over Franklin Pierce University on Sunday in the Northeast-10 Conference Divisional Finals, advancing to the NE10 Championship series for the second time in program history.

Saint Anselm defeated the Ravens, 2-0, in the opening game, led by senior Morgan Perry (Bethany, Conn.) and her 12 strikeouts, surrendering just two hits. In the second game, the Hawks offense picked up to score seven runs, including posting two three-run innings to earn a 7-1 victory. Sophomore McKenna Smith (Old Town, Maine) fanned eight batters, giving up only four hits in a complete-game performance. She also earned her sixth win of the season.

The Hawks, who entered the contest ranked 18th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll, improve to 27-4 on the year. Saint Anselm is also ranked second in the latest NCAA Division II East Region rankings after earning the Northeast Division Regular Season Championship and the number one overall seed in the NE10 Tournament. The Hawks have now recorded 11 consecutive victories, dating back to the 2-1 loss to Franklin Pierce on Tuesday, Apr. 20.

The Ravens, who were ranked seventh in the latest Regional Rankings, fall to 21-9.

Saint Anselm will face the fourth ranked team in the East Region and the top seed from the NE10's Southwest Division, Adelphi University, in the title game on Friday, May 14 with the three-game series beginning with a high-noon doubleheader. The championship series is a rematch of the 2019 NE10 postseason when the Hawks won by a 4-3 score in extra innings. 

After the game one shutout by Perry, she broke the single-season shutout record first set by Lisa Petell '99 with 10. Perry is also one complete game away from tying for second place on the all-time list with 75 to her credit. Following her 12 strikeout performance, Perry now holds the top three single-season strikeout marks in her career as she just ended the day with 182, only two shy of her 2018 mark.

GAME ONE: No. 18 Saint Anselm 2, Franklin Pierce 0 (Box Score)

In her first appearance after earning NE10 Northeast Division Pitcher of the Year, Perry struck out 12 batters, allowing only two hits and two walks in a complete-game shutout to improve to 16-0 on the season.

The Hawks scored in the bottom of the first as senior Lauren Washburn (Carmichael, Calif.) singled up the middle with two outs to score sophomore Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.). The Hawks kept adding on to their lead with another run in the second as junior Bailey Cain (Wellington, Fla.) grounded out to the shortstop, driving in senior Kat Stackrow (Wynantskill, N.Y.) from third.

Perry held a no-hitter until Melissa Konopinski singled through the right side. In that span, Perry struck out five batters up until the end of the third inning.

Perry kept momentum on the Hawks side, putting down five batters via strikeouts after the fifth inning and holding the Ravens hitless.

Senior Abbie Murrell (Scarborough, Maine) led the Hawks with two hits, recording the 50th of her career in the process. Five other Hawks student-athletes also posted one hit each in the contest. 

GAME TWO: No. 18 Saint Anselm 7, Franklin Pierce 1 (Box Score)

The Hawks offense picked up the pace after scoring only two runs in game one as Saint Anselm recorded three runs in two separate innings to claim the 7-1 victory and secure a spot in the NE10 Championship series.

After three scoreless innings of softball with each team recording one hit in the process, Stackrow launched a three-run home run in the fourth inning over the left field wall, putting the Hawks up 3-0. A half inning later, Madi Killebrew belted her own home run to trim the deficit to a two-run game, 3-1.

Senior Erin Thompson (Newton, N.H.) led off the fifth inning with a double down the right field line and was followed by senior Shannon Colson (Rochester, N.H.) accomplishing the exact same play, driving home Thompson.

The Hawks generated a three-hit, three run top of the sixth inning with thanks to a Thompson sacrifice fly and a two-run single by Fitzpatrick. Those runs put the Hawks in the drivers seat, coasting to victory as Franklin Pierce was unable to generate any significant offense from that point forward.

Colson had two hits to lead the Hawks, driving in one run, while Stackrow plated three runs with her long ball. Fitzpatrick also posted two runs batted in off her single in the sixth.