Salve Regina Takes Two From Softball

BOSTON, Mass. – The Salve Regina University softball team snapped a five-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon as the Seahawks defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology in a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader. Salve took the first game, 12-0, and completed the sweep with a 6-0 win in the nightcap.

With the wins, the Seahawks improve to 5-11 and 3-3 in conference play, while Wentworth falls to 4-13 and 0-6 in league play.

GAME ONE: Salve Regina 12, Wentworth 0 (5 innings)
Salve Regina wasted little time getting its offense going as they took the 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Freshman Lindsey Florent (New Bedford, Mass.) plated the first Seahawks run on a double into the right field gap by junior Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Conn.). Freshman Elizabeth Lombardo (Thomaston, Conn.) brought in the second Salve Regina run on a single up the middle, followed up by a sacrifice fly from freshman Amanda Riley (Barrington, N.H.).

Sophomore Megan Berryman (Middleboro, Mass.) began Wentworth's half of the first with two-out single up the middle and later reached second on a walk to freshman Kathleen Dunn (Hull, Mass.), but a she would not advance as a strike out ended the inning.

Over the second and third innings, Salve Regina plated seven more runs to give them a 10-0 cushion after three frames.

Florent and Bukovsky batted back-to-back singles the bring the score up to 5-0 in the top of the second. The Seahawks then went on to add an additional five runs in the top of the third frame to extend their lead to 10-0. Senior Genevieve Benoit's (Swampscott, Mass.) fly ball to center was dropped by the center fielder and allowed the fourth Seahawks run to plate. Sophomore Courtney Nowicki (Northford, Conn.) kicked off a string of three consecutive Seahawks singles that allowed four more runs to cross home in the inning.

Salve Regina crossed home plate two times in the fourth and fifth frames to up the score to 12-0. Freshman Emily Woznik (Sandy Hook, Conn.) plated the 11th run for the Seahawks on a fielder's choice in the fourth as Florent plated the final run on a ground ball out by Riley to take the 12-0 victory in game one.

Junior Kelsey Boarman (North Dighton, Mass.) earned the win for Salve Regina and allowed four hits and had six strikeouts with one walk. Bukovsky went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two runs score and two RBIs, while Nowicki, Woznik, Lombardo and Florent went for a combined 9-for-14 with one double, eight singles, eight runs scored and six RBIs.

Freshman Hayley Rutkey (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss and allowed 12 runs (seven earned) on 13 hits through four innings and had two strikeouts. Freshman Erica Norquist (Rutland, Mass.) pitched one relief inning and allowed one hit. Three batters went 1-for-2, including sophomore Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.), Berryman and senior Heather Pinkston (Concord, Calif.), while sophomore Vanessa Weymouth (Fremont, N.H.) went 1-for-3.

GAME TWO: Salve Regina 6, Wentworth 0
Wentworth threatened to get on the board first in the home half of the first frame as senior Karsyn Sawyer (Chatham, N.Y.) sent a single through the left side. Berryman was hit by a pitch and advanced Sawyer with one out, but Salve Regina retired the next two Wentworth batters.

Salve Regina also had a chance to take the lead in the top of the second with runners on first and second with two outs, yet could not advance the runners.

With two scoreless innings down, the Seahawks jumped out to the 3-0 advantage in the top of the third on defensive mishaps committed by Wentworth. Florent began the third with a double into left field and was later plated on a ground ball from Riley, followed by Bukovsky scoring the second run on a dropped fly ball. Woznik later scored on a two-out single from sophomore Kristen Hickey (New Hyde Park, N.Y.).

The Seahawks threatened to add more in the fourth frame with runners on first and second with no outs, however, could not capitalize as the lead runner in sophomore Francesca Galeazzi (Lynn, Mass.) was caught stealing third followed by a fly ball to center.

After allowing a fifth inning single to sophomore Rachel Willcutt (Tilton, N.H.), senior Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.) struck out five consecutive batters through the fifth and sixth frames to keep the 3-0 Seahawks lead intact.

Salve Regina put the game away in the top of the seventh and batted three consecutive singles to take a 6-0 lead.

Parry improved to 2-6 in the win for the Seahawks as she allowed two hits and whiffed 12 batters through seven frames. Galeazzi led Salve Regina, going 3-for-4 with a double, two singles and one RBI while Florent went 2-for-5 with a double, single, one run scored and one RBI.

Norquist took the loss and allowed six runs (four earned) on 15 hits through seven innings with one strikeout. Willcutt and Sawyer led the Leopards, going a combined 2-for-6 with two singles.

Wentworth heads to Curry on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., while Salve Regina heads to Gordon on Monday at 3:30 p.m.