Ramos' three-run triple leads Seahawks to mercy victory

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 15, 2022) - Half of Salve Regina University softball's eight hits went for extra-bases including a base-loaded triple for first-year outfielder Katie Ramos (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) in the bottom of the second inning as the Seahawks rolled to a 9-1 victory in five innings over Lasell University in THE Spring Games at Hancock Park in Clermont, Florida.

The Seahawks (1-0) arrived at their Florida base less than 13 hours before today's scheduled start against the Lasers, an addition to THE Spring Games slate after four games combined from Sunday and Monday were canceled with Salve Regina stuck in Rhode Island.

First-year head coach Shauna Mulkerin led her team to battle for the first time with a first-year battery - pitcher Alex Kelly (East Meadow, N.Y.) and catcher Chloe Bean (Clinton, N.J.). After the first two Lasers reached base against Kelly, the right-hander struck out three straight batters. Bean led off the bottom of the first with a base on balls and took third base on the sacrifice bunt from Kaitlyn Bennett (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and then scored the season's first run on a two-out single from senior first baseman Lauren Packer (Manchester, Conn.).

Kelly doubled to left center to lead off the second frame for the Seahawks and she was followed on the base paths by back-to-back walks to Wiss Chiappetta (Perkasie, Pa.) and Francesca Rubino (Burlington, Mass.). Before Ramos stepped to the plate for her first collegiate at bat, she was summoned to the third base coach's box for a consultation with Mulkerin. Ramos ripped her triple over the Laser right fielder's head to the fence to clear the bases for a 4-0 lead. Ramos later scored on a wild pitch.

Eryn Sheeley (North Haven, Conn.) doubled to right center in the top of the third for the first basehit for Lasell (1-5) to score Samara Turgeon (Dartmouth, Mass.) from first base. Kelly struck out five in her three innings of work before giving way to graduate student Jaycee Garrigan (Uxbridge, Mass.) in the circle.

In the Seahawk fourth, Mulkerin sent up four straight pinch-hitters and they produced a run on back-to-back hits from first-year Seahawks Emily Lane (Tinton Falls, N.J.) and Kylie Lanteri (Berlin, Conn.). Rubino doubled with one out in the bottom of the fifth and came home with the game's final run as catcher Morganti Bello (Corte Madera, Calif.) put the ball in play up the middle.

Seahawks even the all-time series with the Lasers at one win apiece. Lasell defeated Salve Regina in 2008, 5-2, also on a spring break trip in Cape Coral, Fla.

Salve Regina plays two on Wednesday with matchups against Rowan (9:30 a.m.) and Wisconsin River Falls (2 p.m.).