Two extra-inning walk-offs for Salve Regina

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University senior infielder Jenna Edine (Warwick, R.I.) delivered the game-winning RBI in two extra-inning victories for the Seahawks over the Golden Bears of Western New England University during Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball action at Toppa Field. The Seahawks even their overall record at .500 again (13-13) and improve to 10-2 in conference play while Western New England falls to 10-14 overall and 6-6 in the CCC.

Starting pitching dominated both games in regulation play. In Game One, Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.) struck out eight in nine innings while scattering 11 hits. Only one of the five runs charged to the Seahawk starter was earned. Golden Bear starter Lauren Zambrano (Wallingford, Conn.) struck out 11 in eight innings but eighth-inning control issues helped the Seahawks rally for the tying run.

Salve Regina scored in the bottom of the first on a Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.) single. Parry blanked the visitors for the first four innings before a passed ball allowed the tying run to cross the plate in the fifth.

Both teams scored four times in the eighth inning. Zambrano helped herself with an RBI single in the eighth that followed an RBI single from senior Maria Francese (Hinsdale, Mass.) for a two-run lead (3-1). A two-run double by Alexis Bukowski (Wallingford, Conn.) made it a four-run margin (5-1) heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Mass.) singled to right to advance Lexi Soucie (No. Easton, Mass.) to third base in the Seahawk eighth. Edine's sacrifice fly to center scored Soucie before Benoit added her second RBI of the game with a double to left field. After a hit-by-pitch, Benoit was forced at third on a fielder's choice grounder. Trailing by two with two outs, Salve Regina got two runs batted in by a pair of freshmen - Lauren Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) and Katie Napier (Medford, Mass.).

Parry escaped the ninth with no damage and Zambrano was unable to record an out when Bukovsky led off with a single and Soucie (placed on second to start the frame) scored the winning run on Edine's single to left field.

The second game featured two different starters for both teams and yet another 1-1 deadlock heading to the eighth inning. Edine produced another first-inning run for Salve Regina with a single after Soucie led off the frame with a single and two stolen bases.

Gabby Lavinio (Dalton, Mass.) singled to right field in the Golden Bear fourth to tie the score, 1-1. Dominique Burnham (Scarborough, Maine) pitched 4.2 innings allowing just four hits and an unearned run. Reliever Kelsey Boarman (No. Dighton, Mass.) stranded a runner on second when she got the final out of the fifth inning, a grounder to third baseman Kara O'Riley (Acton, Mass.).

Boarman allowed just one Golden Bear baserunner, a two-out single in the seventh, while pitching 3.1 innings for the win. In the bottom of the eighth with Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) placed at second, Napier successfully sacrificed her to third. The next two Seahawks were issued walks before Edine drew a bases-loaded walk for the second-straight walk-off victory.

Three Seahawk pitchers - Parry, Burnham, and Boarman - hurled 17 innings without issuing a walk.

Salve Regina returns to the diamond on Sunday hosting CCC rival Curry College; three Seahawk seniors - Edine, Simpson, and Sara Nelson (Bristol, Conn.) will be honored prior to the doubleheader which will also be broadcast on WADK-AM 1540 (and simulcast on the Ustream.tv channel for Salve Regina softball). Western New England hosts Wentworth in a conference twinbill on Sunday.