Seahawks sweep DH from second-place UNE
NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University softball team swept a doubleheader from the University of New England in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action Sunday afternoon at Toppa Field. The Seahawks won game one, 1-0, in eight innings before taking game two, 4-1.
The two teams played a scoreless seven innings in the opener before the Seahawks (11-9, 6-6 TCCC) scratched out a run in their half of the eighth inning to record the win. With freshman Deanna Ciccarelli (Paramus, N.J.) on second base to start the inning, classmate Courtney Fleming (Wethersfield, Conn.) moved her to third with a sac bunt. Following a walk to freshman Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.), junior Christina Walsh (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) laced a grounder to first base that was muffed by senior Angie Damon (Scarborough, Maine), and Ciccarelli came in to score the winning run.
In game two, freshman Jillian Quintana (Denver, Colo.) went 3-for-4 with an RBI while classmate Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Cruver singled in freshman pinch-runner Caitlyn Farragher (Plymouth, Mass.) in the second to give SRU a 1-0 lead. The Nor'easters (17-7, 11-3 TCCC) tied the game at one in the fourth on a RBI single by senior Julie Monteiro (Portsmouth, R.I.), but the Seahawks pushed across single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to grab a 4-1 lead. Muehlbronner plated Cruver in the fourth on a bases loaded fielders choice that saw Cruver beat the throw to the plate. In the fifth, Cruver (above) poked the ball down the right field line to score Quintana, who drove in the Seahawks fourth run in the sixth with a single up the middle.
"We were very concerned (coming into today's games) after our performance yesterday (at NEC)," said Seahawks head coach Kerri Scroope. "How do you go from beating Endicott and Nichols to not putting up a fight yesterday? We had a meeting before the games today, and talked about how our goal at the beginning of the season was to be a top seed in the playoffs. We had to refocus and (make sure we) secure a playoff spot. Our goals have changed, but we've started to do the little things. Our dugout has been more vocal. We know the talent is there, it's just getting it all together."
Senior Sarah Jakiela (Meriden, Conn.) picked up both wins to improve to 10-8 on the season for Salve Regina. In 15 combined innings of work, she allowed seven hits and one run (unearned), walked nine and struck out 11.
Junior Amber Zablowsky (Rochester, Mass.) allowed four hits and one run (unearned) in 7.1 innings of work in the opener for UNE. She walked one and did not strike out any batters. In game two, sophomore Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) allowed nine hits and four runs (one earned) and struck out three in six innings.
The Seahawks return to action on Tuesday when they host Roger Williams for a pair, beginning at 4 p.m. The Nor'easters play a doubleheader with Bowdoin in Portland on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.