Nelson hits home runs in Bristol

BRISTOL, R.I. – Salve Regina University completed a sweep against the Roger Williams University softball team on Wednesday in an afternoon doubleheader, winning the first game 7-2 and the second 12-7.

In the opener, the Seahawks were the first to get on the board in their first offensive appearance. Lexi Soucie (North Easton, Mass.) lead the inning off with a double to left and moved to third on a Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Conn.) sacrificebunt.

An error in the field sent Soucie home for the first Seahawk run, which brought Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.) to the plate where she singled to left to get on base. Sara Nelson (Bristol, Conn.) would also single to bring home two more runs before the inning ended, giving Salve Regina the 3-0 advantage.

Roger Williams looked to rally in the bottom of the third, getting two runners on base but the inning ended before they were able to capitalize.

Solid defense by both teams got them out of a few tough innings before the Seahawks would strike again in the top of the fifth.

Jenna Edine (Warwick, R.I.) and Kara O'Riley (Acton, Mass.) both singled to put two runners on base before Nelson stepped up to the plate and sent one over the fence giving the Seahawks a 6-0 lead.

Roger Williams had a strong inning when Veronica Alicea (Trumbull, Conn.) and Samantha Mittel (Palm Coast, Fla.) reached base to bring Caroline Atkinson (Milford, Mass.) to the plate where she would double to center and give the Hawks their first run of the game.

Meghan Maliga (Suffield, Conn.) also singled to center to bring home the Hawks final run of the game.

Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.) got the win for the Seahawks with only one earned run and seven strikeouts. Nelson went 3-for-4 from the plate recording five RBIs, which included one homerun. Soucie would go 2-for-4 for the Seahawks scoring one run.

Maliga was handed the loss for the Hawks, pitching five innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits. Alicea reached base three out of four times, while Maliga and Meredith Moise (N. Reading, Mass.) each went 2-for-3. Maliga and Atkinson had the only two RBIs for Roger Williams.

Game two started in similar fashion, as the Seahawks took a quick 2-0 lead with Nelson leading the charge again, but Roger Williams was ready to strike back.

Taylor Messier (Cranston, R.I.) reached base on an error in the field and Alicea would send her home on a single up the middle to give the Seahawks only a one-run advantage.

The Hawks were strong again in the bottom of the fifth after another infield error allowed the lead batter, Caitlin Downes (Southington, Conn.), to reach base. Messier laid down a perfect bunt and an error on the throw to first scored Downes.

An infield single for Boulrisse and another single for Alicea put the Hawks up 3-2, bringing Mittel to the plate where she would hit a sac fly and put one more on the board for the Hawks. Atkinson singled to right for the fifth Hawk run before the inning ended.

The Seahawks rallied in the next inning to tie the game on a lead-off home run by Nelson. A pair of singles and a double for Bukovsky cut the lead to one. Edine would single as well to bring home the tying run before the inning ended in a 5-5 draw.

A pitching change for the Seahawks proved to be effective as the Hawks were unable to capitalize on their next few offensive opportunities.

The Seahawks would score five more runs in the top of the fifth after a pitching change for the Hawks.

Roger Williams was able to score one run in the bottom of the fifth and another in the bottom of the seventh, but the Seahawk's defense proved to be too strong for a Hawk rally.

Kelsey Boarman (North Dighton, Mass.) got the win for the Seahawks pitching four solid innings allowing just one earned run. Soucie, Bukovsky, and Edine each recorded three hits in the win as well as a combined seven RBIs.

Maliga took the loss for Roger Williams allowing six earned runs on seven hits. Atkinson went 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBIs, while Alicea recorded two hits and two RBIs as well.

Roger Williams will travel to Beverly, Mass. for their next matchup versus Endicott College on Friday. Salve Regina also faces Endicott next Monday at home.