Salve Regina softball clinches No. 1 seed

NEWPORT, R.I. - For the first time since 1999, Salve Regina University softball has earned the No. 1 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championships. The Seahawks, 14-4 in regular season league play, tied with nine-time defending champion Endicott College. The two teams split their doubleheader meeting on Tuesday before the Gulls had another road split on Wednesday at Western New England University.

The tiebreak procedure then went to each team's record against conference opponents from top to bottom, and the Seahawks had swept their meeting with No. 3 seed University of New England (a pair of one-run wins on April 14, 5-4 and 1-0) while the Gulls went 1-1 against the Nor'easters.

Salve Regina last won the softball conference championship in 1999 when it needed just three wins as the top seed (11-3 over Wentworth, 9-1 against Anna Maria, and 3-0 in the title game against Curry), finishing 24-8 on the season.

Needing to take at least one game from the Gulls on Tuesday, the Seahawks won the second game, 7-3, behind a three RBI effort from junior first baseman Jillian Quintana (Denver, Colo.) and two runs batted in from senior Kristen Parolise (Hamden, Conn.), who handles the hot corner.

Junior pitcher Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) earned her 20th victory of the season after allowing a lead-off triple and then holding the Gulls hitless through the 4th inning.

Salve Regina (21-13) will host a doubleheader at Toppa Field on Monday to start the double-elimination phase of the championships. No. 4 seed Roger Williams plays the winner of the No. 5/No. 8 matchup from Saturday's play-in phase, with the winner of that 2:30 p.m. contest advancing to play the Seahawks later on Monday.

Aquidneck Island ballfields will continue to host the championships on Thursday, May 3 with six teams still competing. Three teams will be eliminated in a four-game scenario, to set up the final round with the three remaining teams on Saturday, May 5 (at site of highest remaining seed).

2012 CCC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

PLAY-IN PHASE
Saturday, April 28
Game 1: #8 Eastern Nazarene at #5 Nichols, 1 p.m.
Game 2: #7 Curry at #6 Western New England, 1 p.m.

DOUBLE ELIMINATION PHASE
Monday, April 30
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. #4 Roger Williams - at Salve Regina (Toppa Field - Newport, R.I.), 2:30 p.m.
Game 4: Game 2 Winner vs. #3 University of New England - at Endicott, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 Winner at #1 Salve Regina *
Game 6: Game 4 Winner at #2 Endicott *
* Games 5 and 6 begin 20 minutes following the completion of Games 3 and 4, respectively.

Thursday, May 3
Game 7: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 6 Loser – at Salve Regina (Toppa Field - Newport, R.I.), 2:30 p.m.
Game 8: Game 5 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser – at Salve Regina (Toppa Field - Newport, R.I.), 2:30 p.m.

Game 9: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – at Salve Regina (Toppa Field - Newport, R.I.) *
Game 10: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – at Salve Regina (Toppa Field - Newport, R.I.) *
* Games 9 and 10 begin 20 minutes following the completion of Games 7 and 8, respectively

Saturday, May 5
Game 11: Game 10 Winner vs. Game 9 Loser – at highest remaining seed, 10 a.m.
Game 12: Game 11 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner – at Game 11 site, 12 p.m.
Game 13: — If Necessary, 2 p.m.