Seahawks, Lions split NEWMAC twinbill in Boston

Courtesy of Jake Desautels, NEWMAC Intern

BOSTON, Mass. - Emerson College hosted Salve Regina University on Friday afternoon for a NEWMAC softball doubleheader. The Seahawks took game one, 5-2, but the Lions' bats woke up for an 11-6 win in game two. Salve Regina moves to 8-14 (3-5 NEWMAC) this season, while Emerson moves to 11-11 (2-6 NEWMAC)

Game One: Salve Regina 5, Emerson 2
Alex Kelly started for Salve and pitched her sixth complete game of the season, striking out eight and walking one in the process. Jessica Gomez pitched all seven innings for Emerson as well, striking out five and walking three. Kelly's win improves her record to 4-5 this season, while the loss puts Gomez at 3-7.

The scoring started at the top of the first, as Salve Regina took a 1-0 lead after Morganti Bello scored on a wild pitch. Emerson would tie it up in the bottom of the third after a solo blast by Gomez. The Seahawks regained their lead after a three-run fifth inning, with the runs coming from a pair of RBI triples by Bello and Emily Lane and an RBI single by Katie Ramos.

Salve Regina extended its lead to 5-1 in the sixth inning thanks to a solo home run by Emily Cronin. Emerson made the score 5-2 in the bottom half of the sixth after an infield single by Riley Caiazza drove in one. Kelly blanked the Lions in their final at-bats to claim game one for the Seahawks.

Game Two: Emerson 11, Salve Regina 6
Caleigh Sheehan started for Emerson in game two and pitched into the sixth inning, giving up six runs (four earned) on seven hits while striking out three and walking three. Caroline Peterson started for Salve Regina, giving up ten runs (seven earned) and twelve hits while striking out three and walking one. The win improved Sheehan's record to 6-4, while Peterson's record moved to 3-3 with the loss.

The game was tied at four after both teams scored two runs in each of the first two innings. Emerson broke the game open with a six-run third inning. Caiazza started the scoring with a solo home run, while Gomez and Sam Zannotti each hit RBI doubles. The Lions led 10-4 when the third out was made.

Salve cut the deficit down to four in the top of the fifth after two scored on a single up the middle by Emma Plourde. Emerson would get one of those runs back in the bottom half after a runner scored on a fielder's choice. Gomez relieved Sheehan in the circle with one down in the sixth, shutting down the Seahawks for the rest of the game in her second appearance of the afternoon.

Both teams face NEWMAC opponents tomorrow in doubleheaders for their next matchups, with Emerson hosting Smith and Salve Regina hosting Clark.