BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 WEST HAVEN, Conn. - Nicole King (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) threw her third career no-hitter and Gabby DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert Catholic) drilled her first career home run in the University of New Haven's two-game sweep of the Southern Connecticut State University Tuesday afternoon at the UNH Softball Field. UNH improved to 13-3 overall and 5-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference with the 7-1 and 6-0 victories. The Owls fall to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in the conference. 
 
Game One
After going down in order in the first two frames, the Chargers got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) led off with an infield hit and promptly swiped second base. After a walk issued to Courtney Reed (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell), right fielder Meghan Chamoff (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Herricks) legged out a bunt for a hit. Though Palase was thrown out attempting to score on the play, New Haven continued to threaten with two on and one out. After a strikeout, Brandy Dianno (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) delivered with two down, driving a double down the right field line to plate the game's first run. Lindsey Couturier (Dighton, Mass./Dighton Rehoboth Regional) followed with a two-run single to extend the cushion to 3-0.
 
The Blue and Gold would hang another crooked number in the fourth, starting with back-to-back walks to Jess Spivey (Holland, Pa./Council Rock) and DeLeo. After Palase dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners, an illegal pitch pushed one across. Chamoff followed with an RBI single, and the Chargers then created another run on the base paths. Chamoff went on to steal a second and third and, after a Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) walk, came home on a double steal that ran the margin to 6-0.
 
With King keeping the Owls in check, Spivey capped the Chargers' scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo home run to left field – her second roundtripper of the spring.
 
Southern Connecticut State would scratch out a run without a hit in the sixth inning, but King bounced back with a perfect seventh frame to complete the 7-1 win and the no-hitter. King improves to 7-1 in the complete game effort, striking out six and walking nine.
 
Game Two
After a perfect top of the first inning by the Chargers starting pitcher Victoria Cabral (New Britain, Conn./Miss Porter's School / Hofstra University), UNH would plate three runs in the bottom half. Devlin singled through the left side and Dianno reached on a bunt single. Devlin advanced to third on a throwing error. Couturier hit an infield single, scoring Devlin. After a strikeout and fly out, DeLeo hammered a two RBI double down the left field line.
 
The Owls looked to answer in the top of the third as they loaded the bases with one out. Cabral was able to escape the inning as she induced an inning ending unassisted double play to Devlin.
 
After going down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the third, DeLeo led off the fourth with a towering home run to left field. The solo shot was the freshman's first of her early career.
 
New Haven would tack on run number six in the fifth inning. Devlin led off the inning with a walk and Dianno singled to right, advancing Devlin to third. After a Dianno steal and a pop out, Spivey singled up the middle, scoring Devlin.
 
Cabral pitched a perfect sixth and preserved the shutout by striking out the final batter of the game, stranding a runner on third. With the victory, Cabral improves to 6-2 on the season and sports a 0.69 ERA, as the sophomore struck out six and walked two.
 
Leading the way for the Chargers was the duo of Devlin and DeLeo, as the freshmen combined for seven hits, four runs and three RBI. Spivey added two hits, including a home run and three RBI, while Dianno had a trifecta of hits, driving in three. Couturier added three RBI for the Chargers.
 
New Haven travels for its next five games as they play the Owls again on Thursday, March 27 before visiting American International for a single game on Friday, March 28 and a doubleheader on Saturday, March 29.