Lauren Packer (right) and Allie Gusmano (left) had back-to-back basehits with two outs in the second to give Salve Regina its only lead of the day in Game One in Bristol. (Photo by Ed Habershaw)
Lauren Packer (right) and Allie Gusmano (left) had back-to-back basehits with two outs in the second to give Salve Regina its only lead of the day in Game One in Bristol. (Photo by Ed Habershaw)

Hawks sweep Seahawks in softball

BRISTOL, R.I. (April 18, 2019) -- The Roger Williams University Softball team collected a pair of wins over Salve Regina University Thursday afternoon, taking the opener 3-1 and the second game 8-2.

In the opener, Salve Regina got on the board in the second inning after a scoreless first. Lauren Packer (Manchester, Conn.) reached on a two-out double to left center, then came home on an RBI single to left from Allie Gusmano (Orange, Conn.). 

The Hawks would tie things up in the bottom of the third. Elizabeth Lombardo (Thomaston, Conn.) led off with a single, followed by a bunt single and a throwing error to put runners at second and third. Then with one out, Tara Chatowsky (North Kingstown, R.I.) beat out a throw on a bobbled ball at short to allow Lombardo to score.

Neither team would score over the next two innings until the Hawks took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. After one-out singles by Bay Naples and Katrina Goria (Wyckoff, N.J.), Alyssa Murray (Green Brook, N.J.) came through with a clutch two-out double to make it a 3-1 Hawk lead. The Seahawks would then be set down in order in the seventh to give RWU the win.

Lia Nocella (Tyngsboro, Mass.) allowed one run and struck out five in the win. Goria went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Lombardo was 1-for-2 with a run and two walks.

Andi Nelson (Candia, N.H.) took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) with four strikeouts. Gusmano went 1-for-3 with an RBI with Packer finishing 1-for-2 with a run.

The second game saw neither side score over the first three innings. It would not be until the bottom of the fourth where RWU put two runs across. Naples used a pinch-hit single to bring home Chatowsky, followed by Bella Malvinni (Westerly, R.I.) coming home on a misplayed throw from the outfield.

After an RBI double by Sydney Provencal (Cumberland, R.I.) in the fifth to score Lombardo, Salve pulled within one in the following inning. Lindsey Florent (New Bedford, Mass.) notched an RBI double of her own, then scored on a sac fly by Maddie Machado (Westport, Mass.).

RWU would break the game open in the sixth, pouring in five runs in the frame. Provencal and Amanda Boulter (Wakefield, Mass.) both had two-RBI hits in the inning to help aid in the RWU rally.

Hailey Prechtel (Glenmont, N.Y.) earned the win for RWU, going five and allowing two runs, while Murray earned the save with two scoreless innings. Provencal finished 2-for-2 with a run and three RBI while Chatowsky was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

Nelson suffered her second loss of the day, tagged for six runs (five earned) in five innings. Packer, Gusmano, and Nikki Vanelli (Quakertown, Pa.) all finished 1-for-3.

On Tuesday, Roger Williams (14-16, 6-6 CCC) will tentatively host UMass-Dartmouth and Salve Regina (18-17, 7-7 CCC) welcomes Eastern Connecticut State.