Manchester, N.H. (April 19) -- The Assumption College softball team earned an 8-3 victory in Sunday's divisional contest over Saint Anselm to improve to 9-8 in the Northeast Division of the NE-10, before falling 6-5 in a non-divisional match-up to wrap up the weekend's back-to-back doubleheaders against the Hawks. 

With the win, the Hounds have taken two in the three-game series to render second-place Saint Anselm 9-5 in the Northeast Division. Following back-to-back splits, Assumption is now 18-13 overall on the season, 10-8 in the NE-10, and still holds fourth place in the division standings. Saint Anselm is 18-7 on the season, 9-5 in the conference.

Game One: Assumption 8, Saint Anselm 3

Freshman Kendal Roy (Grafton, Mass. / Grafton) registered her 10th collegiate win in game one on Sunday. The rookie pitched all seven innings for the Hounds, allowing just three runs on 10 hits while striking out two. Roy was on point on Sunday, refusing to walk a single batter.

Extra-base hits helped lead to the Hounds' win in game one, including doubles from seniors Jess DiPilato (Worcester, Mass. / Holy Name) and Ashley Impagliazzo (Glocester, R.I. / LaSalle Academy), as well as a home run from sophomore Ashley Abad (Bedford, N.H. / Bedford), her sixth of the season. The trio drove in a combined six of Assumption's eight runs on the day.

Saint Anselm took the lead early in the bottom of the first when the Hawks' Amanda Bickford led off with a double to center field, followed by a single up the middle to plate Bickford for the 1-0 advantage.

It wasn't until the top of the fourth that the Hounds tied it up when Impagliazzo led off the frame with a double to left. Following Assumption's first out of the inning, Abad reached on a Hawks first-base error and Impagliazzo capitalized on the error to score for the equalizer, 1-1.

A lead-off, solo homer to right from Megan Murrell in the bottom of the fourth put Saint Anselm on top again, 2-1, before the Hounds reclaimed the lead in the sixth.

In the top of the sixth, the Hounds added two more to take a 3-2 advantage on two hits. With one out, freshman Stephanie Menard (Cranston, R.I. / Cranston HS West) tallied a sac fly to score sophomore Ashley Clark (Pawtucket, RI / Tolman), who had reached after being hit by a pitch, from third. 

Senior Andrea Crowley (Norfolk, Mass. / Ursuline Academy) followed up with a single shot to right field to plate DiPilato, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

Saint Anselm tied it up once more in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single up the middle from Hannah Paltchel to score Julie LeClair for the Hawks' final run of the game.

The Greyhounds broke the game open in the top of the seventh, tallying five runs on four hits for an 8-3 advantage and the ultimate final.

The Hounds loaded the bases with no outs to kick off the inning on two singles and a fielder's choice. Junior Christina Caira (Newton, Mass. / Newton North) scored the first run of the inning on a fielder's choice play at third and was followed by a DiPilato, two-RBI double to left-center to score Impagliazzo, who had reached on a fielder's choice, and Clark, who had singled.

With DiPilato on second, Abad followed with her sixth home run of the season over the center-field fence to clear the bases, 8-3.

It was three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh as the Greyhound defense performed flawlessly to shut down the Hawks.

Abad led the Hound offense, going two-for three from the plate with one run and three RBI while Crowley also registered two hits in game one. DiPilato added one hit, two runs and two RBI to the table while Impagliazzo scored twice and registered one RBI on one hit in just two at bats.

The Hounds accumulated nine hits compared to 10 for Saint Anselm. Defensively, Paige Cormier takes the loss for the Hawks, giving up five runs on four hits in one inning.

Game Two: Saint Anselm 6, Assumption 5

With several line-up changes in game two, the Hounds dropped an extremely tight game on Sunday afternoon. Junior Jess Underwood (Hudson, N.H. / Alvirne) started for the Hounds allowing six runs on nine hits in four innings to take the loss. Underwood is now 4-6 on the season.

Sophomore Nicole Harvey (South Berwick, Maine / Marshwood) relieved Underwood in the bottom of the fifth. She pitched two innings and held the Hawks scoreless despite two hits. 

It was the Hounds who got out to the lead in the first, notching two runs on a double to left center from Abad. Abad plated Impagliazzo, who singled to center, and Clark, who walked.

The Hawks narrowed the gap in the bottom of the first on back-to-back doubles to make it 2-1 Hounds.

Assumption increased the lead to 3-1 in the third. With one out, junior Kayli Moniz (Fairhaven, Mass. / Fairhaven) doubled to right center and advanced to third on a passed ball before Clark singled to the opposite side, scoring Moniz.

Saint Anselm tied it up in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a Greyhound error with runners on second and third. The Hawks plated two runners on the play, both of whom hit to reach base.

The Hawks took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth with a three-RBI double to right center from Megan Murrell to make it 6-3.

Assumption battled in the sixth to bring the score within one. With two outs, Moniz sent a single through the left side to score freshman Marissa Gifford (North Attleboro, Mass. / North Attleboro), who had reached on a single to third. Clark followed with a double to left-center field to plate sophomore Cassie Schultz (Amesbury, Mass. / Amesbury), who had singled to center, to make it 6-5.

The Hounds nearly came back in the top of the seventh. Menard singled with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch with two outs to reach scoring position. With the tying run on base, a Greyhound groundout tallied the third out for the Hounds to close the game, 6-5 Hawks.

The Hounds posted 14 hits to the Hawks' 11. Moniz, Clark and Abad each notched doubles in the game, while Clark led the offense with three hits, two RBI and one run scored. Abad and Menard each totaled two hits in game two with Abad driving in two runs.

Paige Cormier earns the win for Saint Anselm in the circle, giving up five runs, four earned, on 13 hits throughout six innings.

Assumption is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, April 21, as it travels to Stonehill for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Assumption has claimed two wins over Stonehill this season, a 5-3 win in seven innings and an 18-10 victory in six. The Hounds look for their third win for a series sweep on Tuesday. Stonehill is currently just above Assumption in the divisional rankings, sitting at No. 3 with an 8-6 divisional record.

For the latest on Assumption College Athletics follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240.