Andi Nelson pitches her third 1-0 shutout; Seahawks split with Bison

NEWPORT, R.I. (April 14, 2019) -- Salve Regina University sophomore Andi Nelson (Candia, N.H.) pitched her 11th complete game of the season and her fourth shutout (third by a 1-0 score) to give the Seahawks a split in their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader with visiting Nichols College at Toppa Field. The Bison (16-9-1, 7-3 CCC) won the nightcap, 10-4, for the split.

Salve Regina sophomore outfielder/pitcher Jaycee Garrigan (Uxbridge, Mass.) made two sensational catches near the right field foul line, and added a two-run double down that same line in Game Two.

GAME ONE
Salve Regina (17-14, 7-4 CCC) outhit Nichols in the opener, 5-3, but took advantage of a walk and an error to plate the game's only run. Senior catcher Holly Kathios (Pelham, N.H.) led off the bottom of the fifth with a base on balls. After a fly out, Allie Gusmano (Orange, Conn.) sacrificed Kathios to second, while the throw to first got away and out of play after Kathios rounded towards third. Salve Regina head coach Jannelle Iaquinto argued successfully that Kathios should be granted home plate since she was on her way to third by the time the errant throw left the playing field. It stood as the only run as Andi Nelson limited the Bison to four baserunners (three singles and a walk) while striking out six to improve to 13-4 on the season and lowering her earned run average to 1.33. She now has 105 strikeouts in 105.1 innings pitched.

Senior shortstop Amanda Riley (Barrington, N.H.) collected two hits in the opener off Bison starter Alexis Ferris (Holyoke, Mass.) who fell to 8-5 with the decision.

GAME TWO
Nichols scored four times in the first on five hits. Another righthanded starter named Nelson got the pitching victory as Bison freshman Candice Nelson (Oxford, Mass.) went the distance allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks. She struck out one Seahawk to improve to 8-2 on the season. The Bison made it 7-0 with three more runs in the top of the fourth. Salve Regina got on the board with a bases-loaded double from Garrigan in the bottom of the fourth. Kathios and Garrigan later scored in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Gusmano, and a two-out single through the right side by Emilee Angell (Whitinsville, Mass.).

Samantha Kostek (Oxford, Conn.), Jessica Kueling (Gales Ferry, Conn.), and Colleen Callahan (Billerica, Mass.) each had three hits in the nightcap as the Bison nearly doubled the Seahawk hit total (13-7).