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WEST HAVEN, Conn. - Seniors Micah Stonesifer (Archer City, Texas/Archer City / Vernon College) and Keri Tricinelli (Brick, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) combined for a no-hitter Sunday afternoon as the nationally ranked No. 24 University of New Haven softball team defeated the College of Saint Rose 7-1 on Senior Day at the UNH Softball Field. Stonesifer threw five innings and struck out four batters, while Tricinelli made her first appearance of the season in two full innings with one strikeout.

The no-hitter is the second in a row for the Chargers who surrendered one unearned run in the win. New Haven has not given up and earned run in 24 1/3 innings, dating back to midweek against Southern Connecticut State University.

With the win, New Haven improved to 30-11 overall and 12-5 in the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division. It also sealed the program's fourth 30-win season in the last five years and the 11th 30-win season in program history. Saint Rose dropped to 8-27 on the season and 4-12 in divisional play with the loss.

After retiring the side in the top of the first, New Haven was quick to take the lead in the final game of the three-game set with the Golden Knights. Christina Gelardi (Derby, Conn./Derby) drew an opening walk and Meghan Chamoff (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Herricks) advanced the runner with a sacrifice bunt. Jess Spivey (Holland, Pa./Council Rock) followed with a single to center field to put Gelardi on third with one out. Lindsey Couturier (Dighton, Mass./Dighton Rehoboth Regional) then stepped to the plate and drove a ball to left field to score the game's first run.

New Haven followed with three outs on four batters in the second and Brooke Fisher (Erial, N.J./Camden Catholic) stepped to the plate to lead off the bottom of the inning for UNH. The junior hit a leadoff home run that sailed way over the left field fence to put the Chargers ahead 2-0. New Haven would pour on five more runs off five hits and one error in the inning. Couturier, Tricinelli and Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ) each drove in runs during the stretch.

Heading into the third, the Chargers held a 7-0 lead and Tricinelli took the circle in relief of Stonesifer. New Haven retired the side in each of the next two innings and was held scoreless to bring the game into the fifth.

Stonesifer re-entered to pitch and the Saint Rose side was retired once again. In the bottom of the fifth, the Chargers loaded the bases with two outs, but could not score a run and the game headed to the sixth. Saint Rose used a walk, a sacrifice bunt, a groundout and a New Haven error to score its only run of the series. Stonesifer then fanned the final batter of the inning and kept the no-hitter intact for UNH.

With two runners on base and no outs, the Chargers were an extra base hit away from walking off in the bottom of the sixth, but the Golden Knights turned a double play and stayed alive into the final inning. Stonesifer forced two ground outs to herself and struck out the final batter looking to seal the Chargers third-straight win.

Gelardi led the Chargers with three hits and two runs in three at-bats. Couturier went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while Francisco added two hits and two RBI in four at-bats. Not only did Tricinelli contribute to the no-hitter, but she recorded a hit, RBI and run in the win.

With the weekend sweep of Saint Rose, UNH also clinched a spot in the upcoming Northeast-10 Conference Championship Tournament. The Chargers can finish as high as the No. 1 seed or as low as the No. 3 seed in the NE-10 Southwest Division.

New Haven hits the road to close out the final five games of the regular season. The Chargers travel to Adelphi University on Wednesday, April 24 for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. Then, New Haven plays a three-game series at Assumption College on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27.