Kelly, Peterson blank Mariners; Seahawks sweep with timely hitting

NEWPORT, R.I. (Wednesday, April 10, 2024) - Junior Alex Kelly (East Meadow, N.Y.) and sophomore Caroline Peterson (Halifax, Mass.) both spun two-hit shutouts as Salve Regina University softball swept a doubleheader from Mitchell College, 1-0 and 5-0, in non-league action at Toppa Field on Wednesday evening.

Game one was scoreless into the bottom of the sixth inning when Emily Lane (Tinton Falls, N.J.) led off getting hit by a pitch. One out later Lane stole second base and with two outs Emily Cronin (Coventry, R.I.) doubled to left center for the game's only run. Kelly (3-5) retired the final 13 Mariners she faced and finished with nine strikeouts including two in the final frame.

Salve Regina (7-13) took a 3-0 lead in game two in the bottom of the third inning on four singles. Second baseman Olivia Saccoccio (Coventry, R.I.) led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Chloe Nittoly (Milford, Conn.) who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Runners were at the corners when Hailey Basso (Carmel, N.Y.) singled and then she stole second. Freshman catcher Emma Plourde (Stratham, N.H.) delivered the first run with an RBI ground out. With two outs, junior shortstop Sam Franceschi (East Haven, Conn.) singled up the middle to plate Basso before stealing second and coming home on Kylie Lanteri's (Berlin, Conn.) single up the middle.

Meanwhile, Peterson (3-2), who allowed only two hits (both in the first), got 1-2-3 frames in the third, fifth, and seventh. The Seahawks added two more in the sixth on a two-out single to center field by center fielder Katie Ramos (Burnt Hills, N.Y.).

INSIDE THE MATCHUPS
Finals: [1] Salve Regina 1, Mitchell 0; [2] Salve Regina 5, Mitchell 0
Records: Salve Regina (7-13, 2-4 NEWMAC), Mitchell (7-11, 4-0 GNAC)
All-Time Series: Seahawks have swept three doubleheaders and improve to 6-0 all-time against the Mariners. The first meetings were back-to-back 8-0 shutouts at Toppa Field in 2018. The next year in New London, Connecticut, Salve Regina scored 14-8 win in game one and hung on for a 3-2 win in the nightcap against Mitchell.

SUMMARY - GAME 1

• B6 - Emily Lane led off getting hit by a pitch. One out later Lane stole second base and with two outs Emily Cronin doubled to left center for the game's only run. | Seahawks 1, Mariners 0

NOTEWORTHY

• Alex Kelly (W, 3-5) tosses her second complete-game shutout in six days.
• Emily Lane leads the Seahawks in hit by pitch (7) with three other teammates once each - Morganti Bello, Maddie Capetta, Kylie Lanteri.
• Katelyn Lipsky (L, 3-3) matched Kelly with zeroes until the sixth inning.

SUMMARY - GAME 2

• B3 - Olivia Saccoccio led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Chloe Nittoly who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Runners were at the corners when Hailey Basso singled and then she stole second. Emma Plourde delivered the first run with an RBI ground out. With two outs, Sam Franceschi singled up the middle to plate Basso before stealing second and coming home on Kylie Lanteri's single up the middle. | Seahawks 3, Mariners 0
• B6 - A two-out single to center field by center fielder Katie Ramos scored a pair of pinch runners - Emma Medeiros and Madelyn Homer. | Seahawks 5, Mariners 0

NOTEWORTHY

• Katie Ramos ties Maddie Capetta for the team lead in RBI, both with eight.
• Caroline Peterson (W, 3-2) struck out three Mariners while getting nine fly outs and nine ground outs.
• Emily Reynolds (L, 3-6) took the loss while allowing just three earned runs.

NEXT UP
Seahawks return to NEWMAC competition when they face Emerson College in Boston, Mass., at Rotch Field for a doubleheader starting 3 p.m.