Salve Regina splits with Nichols by taking 1-0 win in opener
NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University softball team split their doubleheader with Nichols College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action Saturday afternoon at Toppa Field. The Seahawks captured game one, 1-0, while the Bison took game two, 6-2.
The Seahawks (8-12, 6-4 TCCC) managed just two hits in the opener against Nichols junior starting pitcher Molly Ferrara (Millis, Mass.), but capitalized on a Bison throwing error in the fourth and scored the only run of the game. Freshman Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) laced a one-out single and advanced to second when sophomore Jen Cruver (North Haven, Mass.) drew a walk. After sophomore Zeena Barbarita (Johnston, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, sophomore Courtney Fleming (Wethersfield, Conn.) slapped a ground ball to third base. Junior Savannah Thibault (Marlborough, Mass.) went to the plate, but her throw sailed, allowing Simpson to score what proved to be the winning run.
Cruver allowed just two hits over seven innings to earn her fourth win of the season. She struck out five, including freshman Jenna Priore (Petersburgh, N.Y.) with the bases loaded in the fifth to end a Bison threat. Ferrara scattered five hits, walked one and struck out one as she fell to 5-2. The Bison (9-8, 5-1 TCCC) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game, scoring once in the first inning and three times in the third. Sophomore Barbara Roy (Springfield, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a double by freshman Emalee Watkins (Malden, Mass.) in the first inning. In the third, Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) and Thibault each drove in runs to highlight the frame.
The Seahawks pushed across single runs in the third and fourth innings to cut the deficit in half. Simpson doubled home sophomore Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) in the third to make it 4-1, and sophomore Deanna Ciccarelli (Paramus, N.J.) plated freshman Bryce McEwen (North Yarmouth, Maine) in the fourth. Three innings later, Nichols senior Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) scored on a throwing error by Simpson - who was on in relief of Cruver - to give the Bison a 5-2 lead in the seventh. Later in the frame, Muehlbronner's error allowed Watkins to score the sixth Nichols run.
Hassett earned the win for Nichols, allowing four hits and two runs over seven innings. She walked five and struck out four. Cruver took the loss, allowing four hits and four runs in 2.2 IP.
"I'll take a split with Nichols. They're a top four team in the conference, and we were playing without Christina (Walsh) and Joe (Jillian Quintana)," said Salve Regina head coach Kerri Scroope. "To come away with one win today was huge. We're a young team that's trying to win as many games as we can. We have a big day tomorrow (at Western New England)."
Salve Regina's doubleheader with the Golden Bears begins at noon in Springfield. The Bison travel to Endicott for a pair of games on Sunday, starting at noon.