Salve Regina splits with WNEC; Quintana slugs 6th HR
NEWPORT, R.I. - Freshman infielder Jo Quintana [Denver, Colo.] slugged her team-leading sixth homerun of the season to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 3rd inning, lifting Salve Regina University softball to a 3-2 win in the first of two The Commonwealth Coast Conference games with visiting Western New England College. The Golden Bears struck for four runs in the top of the 7th in Game Two to take a 7-4 decision in the nightcap.
Quintana had all three Seahawk RBI in the first game with her groundout to third base in the 1st inning bringing home leadoff hitter Ali Muehlbronner [Glenside, Pa.] for an early 1-0 lead. Quintana has done her damage with runners on base this season as five of her six homeruns have given teammates the opportunity to trot home. Quintana's 3rd-inning blast to left field came with two outs and junior SS Christina Walsh [Putnam Valley, N.Y.] aboard after her one-out single.
"It's good to capitalize on what my teammates have done, getting on base before me," said the first-year third baseman. "My teammates are really good at picking me up as well."
Senior pitcher Sarah Jakiela [Meriden, Conn.] struck out seven and allowed just six hits and one walk for the victory. Her one base on balls came around to score in the 7th after her pitching counterpart, sophomore Sarah Lempicki [Plantsville, Conn.], delivered a two-out single to center. Jakiela got the final out on a fly to center with WNEC stranding runners at second and third bases.
Lempicki picked up in Game Two where she left off with a 1st-inning RBI single.
Salve Regina DH Kristen Parolise [Hamden, Conn.] drove in Muehlbronner, who went 4-for-4 with three runs scored in the nightcap, with a single on the right field line in the 3rd inning. After Western New England (19-16; 14-6 TCCC) plated two runs in the 4th inning, one on a double down the left field line by senior OF Christina Farese [Marlborough, Mass.], the Seahawks clawed back to a tie with single runs in the next two frames.
Jakiela and Quintana each drove in a run in the 4th and 5th innings, respectively.
With the game tied at 3-3 in the top of the 7th, the Golden Bears loaded the bases with one out. Junior catcher Elyse Gauvin [Swansea, Mass.] battled back from an 0-2 count to work a base on balls and put Western New England in the lead. Farese doubled to left center to bring in three more runs.
Muehlbronner led off the Seahawk 7th with her fourth hit landing safely after the Golden Bear second baseman skidded to a fall.
"Leadoff player just puts it into play," said Muehlbronner. "You never know what's going to happen as evidenced by my last two at-bats."
When Quintana beat out a two-out grounder to the shortstop hole, Muehlbronner came all the way around from second to make the score 7-4, but Quintana was tagged out after rounding first in the wrong direction for the game's final play. Freshman Rachelle Fecteau [East Lyme, Conn.], who relieved starter Meagan Riemann [Dayville, Conn.] in the 6th inning, earned her second collegiate pitching victory.
Salve Regina travels to Regis College for a twinbill on Wednesday before returning home on Friday with two against Eastern Nazarene College. Western New England, which ended its six-game losing skid, plays at Nichols College on Wednesday.