Seahawks drop a pair versus Anchorwomen

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina University softball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests to visiting Rhode Island College at Toppa Field on Tuesday evening. The Anchorwomen earned a 7-3 victory in game one before sealing a 5-2 win in the nightcap with a game-ending triple play. The Seahawks record now falls to an even 12-12 on the season, while the Anchorwomen improve to 11-6 overall.

Junior Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) led the Seahawks with a 5-for-7 performance at the plate on the day, while also making several outstanding defensive plays at shortstop. Freshman Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) finished 3-for-6 with a run scored, while junior Zeena Barbarita (Johnston, R.I.) and senior Kristen Parolise (Hamden, Conn.) each had two hits, including one double apiece.

Junior Emily Johnson (West Kingston, R.I.) had a big day for RIC, going 5-for-8 with two runs batted in at the plate, while also going the distance on the mound for the victory in game one. Junior Marisa Jandreau (Plainville, Conn.) also played well, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a pair of runs driven in, while freshman Taylor Nelson (Wareham, Mass.) and sophomore Taylor Pokora (Wilton, Conn.) each compiled three hits and three runs scored on the evening. Junior Jessica Borden (Lincoln, R.I.) tossed a complete game for the win in game two, allowing just two earned runs on six hits.

The Anchorwomen jumped on the board in the first inning of game one when Johnson delivered an RBI single to left, bringing home Nelson with the game's first run.

Rhode Island College opened things up with five runs on six hits in the third. Nelson started the rally with a one-out triple and was followed by three consecutive singles by Jandreau, Pokora, and Johnson. Junior Kristen Gingell (Pascoag, R.I.) brought home a run when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and was followed by freshman Justina Thoma (Cantebury, Conn.) who ripped a run-scoring single. Sophomore Maria Darling (Ansonia, Conn.) then delivered a two-out, two-run double to cap the rally and put the Anchorwomen on top, 6-0.

The Seahawks fought back with a pair of runs on the bottom of the fourth, as junior Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) came through with a clutch two-out single to plate both Megan Jakiela (Meriden, Conn.) and Nikki Hirschbeck (Trumbull, Conn.), cutting the RIC lead down to 6-2.

The Anchorwomen took a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh, when the Seahawks managed to score a run on an RBI single by Parolise before eventually falling by the final score of 7-3.

Rhode Island College took the early lead in the nightcap as well, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first. Pokora smacked an RBI single to left to score the first run, and advanced to second on the throw to the plate. She then stole third, forcing an errant throw which allowed her to scamper home with the game's second run.

The Seahawks responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame. After Dinan led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, Muehlbroner drove her home with a base hit to left, cutting the RIC lead in half, 2-1.

The Anchorwomen plated two more runs in the third, receiving RBI singles from both Gingell and Monica Koehler (Barrington, R.I.) to take a 4-1 advantage.

Salve Regina scratched across a run in the bottom of the fourth when Jakiela knocked in Muehlbronner with a sacrifice fly to bring the Seahawks back within two at 4-2.

After the Anchorwomen scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh, the Seahawks put runners on second and third with nobody out in the bottom half of the frame. Rhode Island College then made the interesting decision to bring their infield in, despite leading by three runs. The move paid off, as the Anchorwomen turned an unconventional 4-3-2-5 triple play to end the game and seal the 5-2 win.

The Anchorwomen will return to action on Wednesday, facing Wellesley at 3 p.m., while the Seahawks will host UNE in a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.