Seahawks split with Scots thanks to Kelly's shutout performance

NEWPORT, R.I. (April 9, 2022) - Salve Regina University freshman pitcher Alex Kelly (East Meadow, N.Y.) pitched a three-hit, complete-game shutout in a 2-0 final against Gordon College in the first of two Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball games at Toppa Field. The Scots took a 3-1 lead in the nightcap and held on as Kelly returned for two more scoreless innings in relief for the Seahawks in the split.

Kelly improved to 8-5 on the season while her Seahawks (9-12, 1-5 CCC) earned their first league win. Gordon starter in Game Two, sophomore Sierra Ricci (Greene, R.I.), also limited the opposing bats to three hits to lead the Scots (12-13-1, 1-7 CCC) to their first conference triumph.

Kelly and her counterpart in Game One, Mara Little (Port Deposit, Md.), matched zeroes on the scoreboard for the first four innings. Seahawk sophomore infielder Maddie Capetta (Raritan, N.J.) doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fourth for her team's first basehit.

In the Seahawk fifth, Francesca Rubino (Burlington, Mass.) reached base with one out on a hit by pitch. After the second out, Drew Ceppetelli (Barrington, Conn.) had an infield single and Rubino advanced to third base on a throwing error. Both Seahawks scored when Jacey Cosciello (Seymour, Conn.) reached on another Scots' error. Kelly made the two runs stand up and escaped runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings to complete the shutout.

Salve Regina entered the sixth inning with two runs on three hits, and then doubled its hit total in the frame but could not add insurance runs.

Gordon got its first runs of the day in the second inning of Game Two when the first two Scots reached on walks and scored on a one-out double to left center by Emma Dubois (Barrington, N.H.). Salve Regina cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame after Rubino doubled in Capetta from first base. The visitors tacked on an unearned insurance run in the fourth before reliever Abbie McDonough (Taunton, Mass.) got a 5-3-2 double-play grounder executed by Nikki Vanelli (Quakertown, Pa.), Lauren Packer (Manchester, Conn.), and Chloe Bean (Clinton, N.J.).

The Seahawks travel to Bristol, R.I., tomorrow to face the Hawks in two CCC matchups.