Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Thanks to a strong all-around effort, the No. 18 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University softball team swept a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader from Merrimack on Sunday by scores of 5-1 and 8-4 on Sunday. The Owls also honored their five seniors between games – Jayme Larson (Aurora, Colo.), Allison Lehner (East Islip, N.Y.), Shawna Mallory (Simi Valley, Calif.), Alyssa Pagano (Monroe, Conn.) and Jessica Rosa (Wallingford, Conn.).

Southern Connecticut improved to 33-5 overall and 21-3 in Northeast-10 Conference play. The Warriors dropped to 13-20, 7-14.

The Owls opened the scoring in game one with a run in the bottom of the first. Brittany Bucko (Wallington, N.J.) led off with a walk before Nicole Buch (Darien, Conn.) reached on catchers' interference. Kristin Whitley (North Andover, Mass.) and Alyssa Downs (Seymour, Conn.) also followed with walks, the second of which plated Bucko with the game's first run.

Merrimack tied the score with a run in the fourth before the Owls broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Buch and Whitley both walked with one out before Downs laced a single to load the bases. Kate Hoffman (Orange, Conn.) followed with a two-run single to make it 3-1. Rosa then followed with another two-run single to plate two more and extend the lead to 5-1.



Kelsey Cockrill (Haymarket, Va.) hurled a two-hitter and struck out to 10 in the victory. She improved to 14-2 on the year.

The second game saw the visitors score three unearned runs in the top of the first. However, the Owls quickly responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame.

Bucko started the rally with a leadoff home run, her 14th of the season. One out later, Whitley doubled to start the charge again. Then, after a walk to Hoffman, Rosa belted a three-run shot over the left field wall to put the Owls in front, 4-3.



Merrimack evened the game at 4-4 in its next at-bat. The Owls then took the lead for good in the third. This time, Stacy Pouliot (Mystic, Conn.) drove in Hoffman with a two-out single down the left field line.

The Owls added some insurance in the sixth. Bucko and Buch connected for one-out singles and moved to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Downs launched a towering three-run homer to left that extended the lead to 8-4. It was her 13th home run of the year.



Larson allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out four to improve to 17-2 on the season.

Southern Connecticut is back in action on Tuesday for a road doubleheader at New Haven.