RINDGE, N.H. – A two-out home run in the top of the eighth inning by Jessica Torsiello (Morris Plains, N.J.) proved to be the difference as No. 18 Southern New Hampshire University completed a Northeast-10 softball sweep of Franklin Pierce University by scores of 10-2 and 3-2 Monday afternoon.  The Penmen improve to 18-5 and 7-2 in the NE-10, while the Ravens are 3-10 and 3-9 in league play.

SNHU had clung to a 2-1 lead in the nightcap until the Ravens scored in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.  In the eighth, after the first two Penmen batters were out, Torsiello belted a home run to left for a 3-2 lead.  Franklin Pierce loaded the bases in the bottom half of the eighth with one out, but Nicole Gubellini (Salem, N.H.) registered back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat and the game.

Both teams plated a run in the first.  A Katie Caruso (Newton, Mass.) double plated Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) to give SNHU a 1-0 lead, before Cassidy Sorensen homered in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game.

SNHU made it 2-1 in the third when an Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.) single plated Ali Maloof (Norwood, Mass.).  Franklin Pierce tied the game on a sacrifice in the sixth.

Caruso and Morrissey each had two hits as the Penmen outhit the Ravens 8-7.  Gubellini upped her record to 5-1 with the win, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out seven.

In the opener, the Penmen pounded out 14 hits, including a two-run home run by Maloof and a solo shot by Torsiello.  SNHU jumped out to an 8-2 lead after three innings, including a five-spot in the second.

Hannan went 4-5 at the plate in the opener, while Maloof, Torsiello, Caruso and Katie Horiuchi (Livingston, N.J.) each had two hits.  Maloof improved to 11-0 in the circle, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out seven.

SNHU is scheduled to play its home opener Tuesday at 4:00 pm when it hosts Assumption College in a single contest.

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