Seahawks rank 6th in regional poll

NEWPORT, R.I. - After improving to 11-3 with a 3-2 win over St. Joseph's College of Maine on Sunday, the news got even better for the Salve Regina University baseball team. The Seahawks, who swept their conference-opening doubleheader against Curry College on Saturday, earned the sixth spot in the the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) coaches poll for Division III.

Salve Regina picked up 12 points in the voting to rank just behind Bowdoin College (13 points) and ahead of Eastern Connecticut State and WPI (both with 10 points apiece). Six first-place votes were split between the top two teams, Southern Maine and Tufts, as they finished with 45 points apiece.

The Seahawks have received regional recognition as recently as last season. In 2013, Salve Regina ended its season with a 29-12 record, marking the second-most wins in program history (32 in 2006).

Head coach Eric Cirella strengthened his non-league schedule (his Commonwealth Coast Conference schedule already includes two NCAA participants from 2013 - Endicott and Western New England) by adding regional powers such as Salem State, St. Joseph's, Wesleyan, Wheaton, and WPI. The Seahawk schedule, which continues to feature Eastern Connecticut State, includes eight programs either ranked or receiving votes on the first NEIBA poll.

Salve Regina carries a three-game win streak when it plays at Rhode Island College on Tuesday (3:30 p.m.).