Seahawks sweep Leopards in softball on Senior Day

NEWPORT, R.I. (April 27, 2019) -- Salve Regina University softball swept a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader from Wentworth Institute of Technology, both by 8-0 scores in five and then six innings, on Senior Day for Lindsey Florent (New Bedford, Mass.), Megan Guest (Meriden, Conn.), Holly Kathios (Pelham, N.H.), and Amanda Riley (Barrington, N.H.) at Toppa Field.

Both Seahawk starting pitchers, sophomores Andi Nelson (Candia, N.H.) and Jaycee Garrigan (Uxbridge, Mass.), went the distance and allowed just one basehit each to the Leopards. Only one Wentworth baserunner reached second base all day.

Salve Regina (21-18, 9-7 CCC) finishes no worse than in a tie for third with Western New England University, and potentially Nichols College which has a doubleheader remaining on Sunday at Roger Williams University. The Leopards (12-19, 4-12 CCC) were eliminated from the posteason with today's sweep.

GAME ONE
With two outs in the second inning, Garrigan and Lauren Packer (Manchester, Conn.) singled and advanced to second and third base before Allie Gusmano (Orange, Conn.) delivered a two-run single to center field. Amanda Riley led off the third with a triple down the right field line and made the score 3-0 in Maddie Machado's (Westport, Mass.) grounder to the right side.

Gusmano doubled with one out in the fourth and scored on Riley's fielder's choice grounder. The Seahawks scored three runs in the fifth to clinch the victory. Holly Kathios opened the frame with a single up the middle, Guest walked, and Garrigan plated the Seahawk catcher with a single to right field. With runners at the corners, Garrigan stole second and came home behind Guest on Packer's double down the left field line. Packer advanced to third on a grounder to the right side and came home with the final run on Florent's ground out to first base.

Nelson improved to 15-7 on the season with her sixth shutout.

GAME TWO
The Leopards got their only hit in the first inning off Garrigan who allowed just one more baserunner with a leadoff walk in the third before retiring the final 11 batters she faced.

Two Seahawks who were hitless in the opener combined to score a first-inning run in Game Two. Machado singled with two outs and stole second before Nikki Vanelli (Quakertown, Pa.) ripped an RBI single to left center. In the third, Vanelli had another RBI on a groundout back to the Leopard pitcher, and Kathios added an RBI single to left field. A wild pitch brought home Megan Guest for a 4-0 lead.

Guest led off the Seahawk fifth with a single through the left side and stole second. After a grounder pushed her to third, Guest scored on Packer's single to right field. A three-run sixth clinched the nightcap for the Seahawks. Florent and pinch-hitter Allie Oliveira (Smithfield, R.I.) singled before Vanelli rocked a one-out triple to left center. Vanelli scored the final run on Kathios' single to shortstop.

Garrigan raised her record to 3-2 with her second-consecutive shutout this week.