Machado's magic salvages split for Seahawks versus Beacons

SEAHAWK SOFTBALL RESULTS
[1] UMass Boston 4, Salve Regina 1
[2] Salve Regina 11, UMass Boston 10
Newport, R.I. - Reynolds Field
Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Summary
NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University softball team and UMass Boston split a pair of games in non-conference action Tuesday evening.

Series and Streaks
The Seahawks own a 7-6 record all-time versus the Beacons.

Three Stars of the Day

1. Salve Regina junior Maddie Machado (Westport, Mass.) hit a walk-off, inside-the-park, grand slam to give the Seahawks the victory in game two. She scored three runs in the game.
2. UMass junior Jess Greenspan (Rock Hill, Conn.) pitched a complete game in the first game, logging seven innings, striking out four and allowing just one run.
3. UMass senior Roxanne Vento (Arlington, Conn.) went 3-for-3 in game one with three hits, including two doubles, a walk, and a run scored.

Key Stat of the Day
The Beacons stole seven bases in game one to help put players in scoring position. The Seahawks scored three or more runs in each of the final three innings of game two to go from down three, to winning.

Turning Points
In the first game a passed ball allowed Caley Ruggiero (Southbury, Conn.) to score from third for the Beacons in the top of the sixth. Gigi Braga (Medford, Mass.) followed that up with a single to score Ari Bilotta (Leominster, Mass.) and give the Beacons a 4-1 lead. Greenspan came back out in the seventh and got two groundouts and a strikeout as the Seahawks went 1-2-3 and UMass took game one.

In game two the Seahawks once again found themselves trailing 4-1, this time in the bottom of the fifth. Kendall Duprey (Cranston, R.I.) tripled to score three runs with the bases loaded and two outs to tie the game 4-4, however the Beacons added two more runs in the top of the sixth to retake the lead. In the bottom of the sixth Allie Gusmano (Orange, Conn.) led off with a single the advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on an Emilee Angell (Whitinsville, Mass.) single. Later, Angell would score on a single from Amanda Riley (Barrington, Conn.) and Maddie Machado would score on a sac-fly to give the Seahawks a 7-6 lead. The Beacons refused to go away and tagged the Seahawks for four more runs in the top of the seventh to put the Seahawks in a 10-7 hole. With their backs against the wall the Seahawks managed to load the bases with two outs, setting up Machado to win the game. Machado took a 1-2 pitch and drove it deep to right field and off the wall. All three base runners scored easily, then Machado, who was flying around the bases, turned the corner at third base and headed home. The throw from the outfield was short and late the third base and it ricocheted off the third baseman and into foul territory negating any possible play at the plate and Machado scored standing up to give the Seahawks a dramatic 11-10 victory.

Quick Hits

• Jaycee Garrigan (Uxbridge, Mass.) pitched six innings in game one, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out eight in the loss.
• Julia Coute (North Dighton, Mass.) started game two for Salve Regina and went five innings allowing five runs on 11 hits and one strikeout.
• Andi Nelson pitched one inning of relief in game one and earned the win in game two, pitching two innings of relief and striking out three while allowing five runs on four hits.
• Hayley Catania (Amesbury, Mass.) started game two for the Beacons and went five innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits with a strikeout.
• Cantania was relieved by Jayla Blackmon (Cambridge, Mass.) who went and inning and two thirds, allowing four runs, all on the Machado homer, and two hits in the loss.

Quote
"The experience, depth, talent, and grit of this team is special. It's rewarding and humbling to watch these big moments happen when your teams plays with deep passion and never gives up. They believe they can win every game and that is something you can't force or teach." - Salve Regina head coach Jannelle Iaquinto 

Next up
Salve Regina (6-9) – hosts Endicott on Saturday, March 30, at 12 p.m., for a doubleheader in the first Commonwealth Coast Conference games of the year for the Seahawks.
UMass Boston (8-8) – will travel to face Bridgewater State on Thursday, March 28, at 3 p.m.