THE BASICS:

-Score: Assumption 6, Saint Anselm 2

-Records: Assumption (15-20, 12-10 NE-10), Saint Anselm (12-23, 8-14 NE-10)

-Location: Worcester, Mass. (Marois Field)

-The Lead: Sophomore Nicole Duplease (Leominster, Mass. / Leominster) blasted her first career home run as Assumption took the first game in a three-game series over Saint Anselm on Thursday. The Hounds claimed a 6-2 victory and will face the Hawks in a doubleheader on Saturday to conclude the regular season.

The win extends the Greyhounds' streak to five.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

-The Hounds got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when senior Kayli Moniz (Fairhaven, Mass. / Fairhaven) doubled to the left-center field fence to score junior Ashley Clark (Pawtucket, R.I. / William E. Tolman) from third. Clark had reached base on a double of her own.

-Assumption broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs on four hits to make it 4-0 Hounds. Duplease led off with a single to third base before scoring on a single up the middle by junior Cassie Schultz (Amesbury, Mass. / Amesbury). Clark drove in Schultz and freshman Julia Mazzeo (Milford, N.H. / Milford) on a hard single up the middle for the four-run advantage.

-The Hounds increased their lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth. Duplease blasted a two-run homer with no outs to score sophomore Stephanie Menard (Cranston, R.I. / Cranston HS West), who had singled.

-In the top of the seventh, the Hawks made a strong comeback attempt, putting two runs on the board on three hits including a two-run homer by Michaela Criscione, but the comeback fell short en route to the 6-2 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

-Duplease led the Hounds at the plate going 3-for-3 while driving in two runs and scoring two. 

-Schultz also had a great day at the plate going 3-for-3 with one RBI while Clark went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

-Moniz blasted two doubles on the day with one RBI.

-Junior Ashley Abad (Bedford, N.H. / Bedford) tied Duplease with the team-high two RBI.

-Assumption outhit Saint Anselm 13-7 on the day and left 10 runners on base compared to six for the Hawks.

-Sophomore Kendal Roy (Grafton, Mass. / Grafton) earns the win for the Hounds and improves to 13-6 on the season. She went all seven innings for Assumption and registered three strikeouts while allowing two runs on seven hits. 

-Arika Brochu takes the loss for Saint Anselm and falls to 8-12 overall. She pitched 3.2 innings, allowed eight hits and four runs while walking three. She was relieved by Sam Hennequin who finished the final 2.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE 

-Clark now has 13 doubles on the season and seven in her last eight games. She is just one away from cracking into the top 10 in the Assumpion record book for most doubles in a single season. 

-Duplease's home run marks her first of her career.

-In the bottom of the sixth inning, Menard launched the ball over the left-field fence with Moniz on second, but was robbed of the two-run homer when Saint Anselm's left fielder, Pattie Turner, reached over the fence to snag the fly out.

UP NEXT:

-The Hounds are scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 23, when they host the Hawks for a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Assumption will honor its three seniors prior to the first pitch in game one.

-Following the weekend's competition, the Hounds will begin post-season play at a time and place to be determined.

STAY CONNECTED:

-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. 

-Fans can also sign up for email updates and text message alerts for the women's softball team and all of the other 23 Assumption varsity sports by clicking here.

POST GAME: