MIT engineers sweep of Salve Regina

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A four-run fourth inning helped the MIT softball team – ranked third in the New England Regional rankings – secure a non-conference sweep of Salve Regina University (4-3, 8-0) on Friday afternoon at Briggs Field. With a pair of wins, Tech improves to 24-6 overall, while the Seahawks dip to 19-17.

Tech registered a pair of runs in the second and third innings of the second contest, securing a 4-0 advantage. Sophomore Monica Shifflet (Poway, Calif.) jumpstarted the Cardinal and Gray's offense with a second inning RBI double, which plated senior Karly McLaughlin (Edwardsville, Ill.) and junior Tori Jensen (Holliston, Mass.).

McLaughlin kept the Engineers' momentum going in the bottom of the third when she connected on a pitch that sailed down the left side, which sent freshman Amanda Lee (Saratoga, Calif.) to the dish from second base. Two batters later, freshman Zoe Hinton (Aurora, Colo.) smacked a pitch down the left side, sending Jensen to the plate from third base.

MIT continued its offensive surge in the bottom half of the fourth as Lee, Jensen and sophomore Ali Trueworthy (Rochester, N.H.) all drove in runs, extending the hosts lead to 8-0. The Seahawks attempted to answer in the top half of the fifth, but junior pitcher Alexandra Marshall (Glen Head, N.Y.) secured the sweep, forcing sophomore Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Conn.) to fly out to freshman Jasmin Joseph (Woodland Hills, Calif.).

Marshall claimed her 10th victory in the circle – the most wins she has recorded in a Cardinal and Gray uniform – over five innings of work. She finished with six strikeouts, while yielding three hits and one free pass. Salve Regina sophomore Kelsey Bowman (Woodsvillle, N.H.) suffered her eighth setback of the season, allowing 12 hits, eight runs (six earned) over four innings of work, while registering a pair of strikeouts.

Trailing by one run in the initial contest, the Seahawks evened the score in top of the fourth, as junior Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.) raced home following an infield error. Two innings later, Salve Regina pushed ahead 3-1 as sophomores Lexi Soucie (North Easton, Mass.) and Skye Hart (Hope Valley, R.I.) each recorded one RBI, sending junior Melissa Figueiredo (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and freshman Taylor Parry (Quincy, Mass.) to the dish.

MIT rallied in the bottom of the seventh with a RBI triple by Joseph – her fifth of the season – which cleared the bases and sent Hinton, Trueworthy and sophomore Natalie Shifflet (Poway, Calif.) , securing a 4-3 victory. Joseph's five triples are the most recorded in a single-season in program history.

Senior Ellie Fodor (Trenton, Mich.) picked up her 14th win in the circle – currently second most wins in a single-season – and recorded 10 strikeouts, while yielding seven hits and three runs over seven innings of work. Salve Regina junior Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.) fell to 10-8 on the season, pitching six and two-third innings, while allowing six hits and four runs. Parry also registered four strikeouts.

MIT returns to action tomorrow afternoon for its final New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tilt as they host Clark University for a double-header, beginning at 12 p.m. Salve Regina is also in action tomorrow as they close out their regular season slate with a double-header at Wellesley College. The Seahawks' non-conference contest is scheduled to begin at noon.