WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior right-hander Ali Maloof (Norwood) won for the 18th time in 19 decisions, throwing a three-hit shutout to power Southern New Hampshire University to an 8-0 five-inning victory over Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division softball Friday afternoon at Bentley.

SNHU, ranked 24th nationally in Division II, improved to 27-6 overall and 16-3 in divisional play, locking up the Northeast regular season title outright. Bentley, which had won six of its previous seven, slipped to 11-16 overall and 8-10 Northeast.

Maloof had a 1-0 lead before throwing her first pitch of the afternoon. In the top of the first, junior third baseman Katie Caruso (Newton) singled to left and junior second baseman Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) followed with an RBI double in the same direction.

In the second, SNHU broke the game open, taking advantage of five walks, two errors and a wild pitch to score five times. Sophomore first baseman Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.) had an RBI triple and Maloof helped herself with an RBI single.

A two-run single to center by junior center fielder Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) in the fourth closed out the scoring for the afternoon.

Morrissey had a third of SNHU's six hits and she scored two runs, as did sophomore catcher Jessica Torsiello (Morris Plains, N.J.). Maloof, who lowered her ERA to 1.34, struck out seven and walked one.

Bentley's hits were a first-inning triple by sophomore right fielder Chelsea Vena (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney HS), a second-inning single by junior first baseman Morgan Mazone (Selkirk, N.Y./Bethlehem Central HS) and a leadoff double in the fourth by freshman second baseman Catie Noons (North Dighton/Dighton-Rehoboth Reg. HS).

The two teams will play twice on Saturday with the first game slated for 12 noon.