MANCHESTER, N.H. – Despite coming from behind in the opener and building up a three-run lead in the nightcap, the Assumption University softball team lost both ends of a doubleheader to Saint Anselm by scores of 2-1 in eight innings and 4-3 on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks became just the first team to sweep the Greyhounds in a Northeast-10 Conference twinbill this spring.

Game One: Saint Anselm 2, Assumption 1 (8 Innings)

The opener featured a pitcher's duel between Saint Anselm's Haile Hicks and Assumption's Erin Barry (Braintree, Mass.) with the Hawks threatening to score the most. Saint Anselm, which left a combined five runners on base in the first three innings, got on the board in the first on a sacrifice fly by Cain. Irwin, who led off the frame with a bunt single and stole second, scored on the play.

The Greyhounds, meanwhile, were only able to get one base runner on a walk in the opening four frames. Hicks was in control of the circle with three strikeouts, four flyouts, and five groundouts.

However, the Assumption bats came to life in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Summer Sheerin (Bridgewater, Mass.) dropped a leadoff single to left and advanced to second on an error as part of the play to get things going. But Hicks quickly recovered for the Hawks by fanning two and inducing a groundout.

After Barry continued to keep the Hawk offense in check, Assumption had one last chance to score in the seventh and got an early base runner when freshman Makenzie Brugemann was hit by the pitch of the frame. Freshman pinch runner Alicia Habib (Haverhill, Mass.) then stole second and came home for the tying run when Kali Scirocco (Upton, Mass.) ripped a double to the left center gap with two outs. Hicks got out of further trouble by striking out the next Greyhound batter, but the game was extended.

Even though Saint Anselm got a quick baserunner via an error in the bottom of the seventh, a heads-up defensive play by Sheerin helped the Greyhounds get out of the inning. The shortstop caught a hard line drive and then completed the double play by gunning down Kylie Fitzpatrick at first.

The Hawks, however, were able to push the winning run across and win on a wild walk-off in the bottom of the eighth. Stephanie Tardugno, who came up with two outs and teammate O'Hara on second, hit a grounder that was fielded cleanly by Sheerin at short. Sheerin was unsuccessful at applying the tag on Gracie O'Hara, and her throw to first for the third out was not in time. O'Hara, meanwhile, stayed aggressive came home to score on the play to abruptly end the game.

Hicks picked up the win in the circle for Saint Anselm and improved to 18-3 while throwing 122 pitches in the process. She struck out 11, issued two walks, and allowed three hits and one run that was earned. Barry took the tough loss and fell to 8-9 after giving up two runs, including one earned, along with five hits and three walks in 7.2 innings of work.

Game Two: Saint Anselm 4, Assumption 3

The Greyhounds did not let the heartbreaking defeat earlier in the day get to them for game two, as they were able to jump out to a 3-0 advantage in the early innings of the nightcap. With sophomore Samantha Hardwick (Albany, N.Y.) piloting the team from the circle, classmate Alexis Charbonneau (Hudson, N.H.) hit an RBI single in the top of the second to put the visitors on the board first.

In the third inning, Assumption added to its lead by scoring two more runs. Junior Jordan Dwyer (Coventry, R.I.) hit a leadoff single and then came home when Bruggeman blasted a home run to right center.

Saint Anselm (24-13, NE10 17-5) had its chances to come back and put together a big inning in the bottom of the sixth, beginning when Fitzpatrick hit a hard double to center field with nobody out. After a walk was issued to put an additional runner on base, a pair of runs were scored on a double down the line in left by O'Hara, and the Hawks' designated player came home for the tying run on a single through the right side by Kylee Royer. Audrey Arsenault then dealt the crushing blow by hitting an RBI single up the middle to plate the go-ahead run and complete the rally.

Sophia Dipippo went the distance and earned the win for Saint Anselm by going the distance and not issuing a walk for the first time this season. She struck out three while surrendering three runs, which were all earned, and eight hits. Freshman Anna Tassone (Gardner, Mass.), who entered the game as a reliever in the sixth inning, was charged with the loss and fell to 4-4 on the season.

Assumption (14-23, NE10 11-9) will have another busy week to wrap up the regular season and is next slated to host Pace for a rescheduled doubleheader at Holy Cross on Tuesday afternoon beginning at 3 p.m.