Salve Regina softball sweeps MIT, 6-1 and 10-1

NEWPORT, R.I. - Senior infielder Jenna Edine (Warwick, R.I.) went three for six and scored three runs while driving in two as Salve Regina University softball swept a non-league doubleheader from MIT at Toppa Field, 6-1 in Game One and 10-1 (five innings) in Game Two.

Game One
Seahawk starting pitcher Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.) scattered eight hits allowing just one run in the opener for her ninth victory of the season. She struck out five to raise her season total to 100, while uncharacteristically walking two raising the base on balls total to 10.

Salve Regina (19-15) scored a run in the bottom of the first. Edine stroked a two-out single to right field and scored from first on a double to right field by Seahawk sophomore catcher Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.).

With one out in the Seahawk fourth inning, senior shortstop Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) singled and stole second. Freshman right fielder Katie Napier (Medford, Mass.) singled and advanced to second while Simpson went to third. Freshman centerfielder Lexi Soucie (No. Easton, Mass.) singled up the middle to bring home two runs. Edine delivered a two-out, run-scoring single for a 4-0 lead after four.

MIT (10-20) collected four hits in the fifth to produce its run. Sophomore Melissa Kreider (Branford, Conn.) led off the frame with a single to shortstop and freshman Monica Shifflet (Poway, Calif.) followed with the same. After twin sister Natalie Shifflet lined out to left, the Engineers loaded the bases on Ali Trueworthy's single to center. Starting pitcher Mackenzie Donnelly (Helena, Mont.) helped herself with an RBI single up the middle.

Donnelly shifted to second base to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Karly McLaughlin (Edwardsville, Ill.) allowed successive singles to Kara O'Riley (Acton, Mass.) and Sara Nelson (Bristol, Conn.) before a Lauren Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) sacrifice bunt moved both runners in scoring position. Simpson brought O'Riley home with a sacrifice fly to left field.

O'Riley raised her team-leading RBI total to 28 with an infield single in the sixth that scored Edine. Both teams left nine runners on base in the opener.

Game Two
The Engineers scored a first-inning run off Salve Regina starter Kelsey Boarman (No. Dighton, Mass.), who spun a complete-game shutout 24 hours earlier in a 1-0 win over Endicott. After one out, Trueworthy and Donnelly singled and a fielder's choice grounder put runners at the corners with two outs. McLaughlin, starting pitcher in Game Two for MIT, singled to second base to drive in Trueworthy for a 1-0 lead for the visitors.

McLauglin threw 13 first-inning pitches and did not retire a Seahawk. Soucie walked, Kelly Davin (Northbridge, Mass.) reached on a bunt single, and Edine drove in the tying run with a single up the middle. Edine stole second before Benoit placed a single to right field for a 2-1 lead. Donnelly swapped positions with McLaughlin.

Salve Regina scored eight times in the inning with two coming in on a double to left center by sophomore Melissa Figueiredo (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

Donnelly struck out the side in the Seahawk second inning. Salve Regina scored twice in the third including an RBI single from Soucie.

Boarman pitched four innings allowing just four hits while striking out four for her fifth victory of the season. Dominique Burnham (Scarborough, Maine) struck out one Engineer in her one inning of work.

Salve Regina plays a non-league twinbill at UMass Dartmouth on Thursday, before hosting Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) double-elimination round tournament action on Monday at Toppa Field. MIT concludes its 2014 softball slate with today's defeats as NEWMAC tournament action begins on Friday without the Engineers.