Seahawks take two from Lynx, 2-1 and 10-2

NEWPORT, R.I. - Senior Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) and freshman Melissa Figueiredo (East Bridgewater, Mass.) delivered back-to-back RBI singles in the fifth inning as Salve Regina University softball held on for a 2-1 victory in the opener of a twinbill with Lesley University, ending the Lynx' win streak at 10 games.

The Seahawks followed that victory with a 10-2 score in five innings in the nightcap. Salve Regina improves to 20-14 overall while Lesley slips to 15-15 overall.

Game one was a scoreless affair into the bottom of the fifth where Seahawk leftfielder Sara Nelson (Bristol, Conn.) hustled down the line to reach on a throwing error (throw to first in the dirt). Britani Dunbar (Swampscott, Mass.) pinch ran for Nelson and advanced to second on pinch hitter Nicole Parry's (Quincy, Mass.) sacrifice bunt.

Lynx starting pitcher Jordan Thomas (Fitchburg, Mass.) got her counterpart Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) to pop up to short for the second out before the Seahawks' leadoff hitter, Muehlbronner, lined a shot to left field for the game's first run. Figueiredo followed by lining an 0-2 pitch to right field to score Muehlbronner.

Lesley manufactured a two-out rally in its next at bat. Left fielder Nicole Mercurio (Wakefield, Mass.) doubled deep to left field, her team-leading 15th two-bagger. Sydney Thayer (Reading, Mass.) singled to right field to cut the deficit in half.

Salve Regina went down 1-2-3 in its sixth inning. Pinch-hitter Ashliegh Ramirez (Newport, Ore.) opened the Lynx seventh frame with a single to right field after swinging and missing on the first two pitches she faced. Sarah Apgar (Andover, N.J.) sacrificed the runner to second before Maria Nazzaro (North Reading, Mass.) beat out a grounder to short to put runners at the corners with one out. Nazzaro then stole second without a throw.

Cruver worked out of the jam with a strikeout (her eighth of the game) and a fly out to Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) in right field. Lesley outhit Salve Regina in the opener, seven to four.

The Seahawks banged out a dozen hits in game two, led by a 3-for-3 performance from Simpson who also drove in three runs. Her first-inning double plated Muehlbronner who led off with a bunt single. Jennifer Edine (Warwick, R.I.) doubled to right field to score Simpson with the second run.

In the second inning, Cruver and Muehlbronner both singled before Figueiredo loaded bases by reaching on a sacrifice bunt with an error on the Lynx second baseman covering the bag. Simpson singled down the right field line to score two more runs. Figueiredo later scored on a wild pitch.

Allison Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) had an RBI single in the third for Lesley, pulling the Lynx within three, 5-2, but Salve Regina put the game out of reach with a five-run fourth inning, all with two outs.

Simpson beat out a two-out grounder to second and Jillian Quintana (Denver, Colo.) followed with her team-leading fifth home run, a line shot to left field. Megan Jakiela (Meridan, Conn.) singled down the left field line and Edine singled to right field to put runners at the corners. Nelson plated both with her double to right center.

Lauren Nicholson (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) singled up the middle to bring Nelson home with the 10th run and an eight-run margin. Dominique Burnham (Scarborough, Maine) pitched a clean fifth frame to secure Cruver's 20th victory of the season.

Muehlbronner and Edine had two hits apiece in the nightcap.

Salve Regina hosts Gordon College on Saturday and will also honor its four seniors - Cruver, Jakiela, Muehlbronner, and Quintana. Lesley plays another non-league twinbill on Thursday at Babson College.