Seven Seahawks recognized as all-conference softball players

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University softball placed a school-record seven players on the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) all-conference team: seniors Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.) and Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.), juniors Kelsey Boarman (No. Dighton, Mass.) and Kara O'Riley (Acton, Mass.), sophomore Francesca Galeazzi (Lynn, Mass.), and freshmen Lindsey Florent (New Bedford, Mass.) and Elizabeth Lombardo (Thomaston, Conn.).

Lombardo, a first-team pick at third base, leads Salve Regina (20-16; 7-3 CCC) in batting (.394) and runs batted in (28). Her .545 slugging percentage is also tops on the team.

Boarman and Parry, both named to the second team as pitchers, have combined to deliver every pitch on the season for the Seahawks. With Boarman in the top three of the league's ERA leaders (1.65), Parry tops all CCC players with 117 strikeouts. Both have started 18 games; Boarman completed all of her starts. Boarman has four shutouts while Parry has held opponents scoreless twice in her 17 complete games.

Also on the second team are second baseman Galeazzi, outfielder Florent, and designated player O'Riley. Galeazzi's batting .387 with a league-best 17 stolen bases; she also has five doubles and two triples among her 36 basehits. Galeazzi ranks fourth on the team in runs scored (19). Florent leads the Seahawks in runs (23), hits (40), and doubles (nine) while batting .351 on the year. O'Riley has picked up several key RBI while slugging three homeruns.

Benoit has been the primary backstop for the Seahawks the last three seasons and earns a selection by the league's coaches to the third team. Just one homerun and seven RBI thus far after a breakout season in 2015 as the conference's Player of the Year (6 HR, 34 RBI).

Salve Regina earned the conference's No. 3 seed and will begin play in the postseason on Monday, May 2, at Endicott College (No. 2 seed) against either Eastern Nazarene or Nichols advancing from tomorrow's play-in game.