NEWPORT, R.I. - A five-run rally in the bottom of the 7th inning put Salve Regina University softball in position to sweep visiting Curry College, but the Colonels outscored the Seahawks 2-1 in the extra frame to earn a split of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader. Salve Regina (10-8; 5-1 CCC) won the opener, 7-4, while Curry (14-8; 3-3 CCC) held on in eight innings in the nightcap, 10-9.
Junior catcher Megan Jakiela (Meriden, Conn.) and freshman rightfielder Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) both collected three hits in the opener. Sophomore centerfielder Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) junior first baseman Jillian Quintana (Denver, Colo.) both chipped in two RBI apiece.
The Seahawks scored two runs in the 2nd inning, both on sacrifices. Quintana led off with a single, moved to third on Jakiela's double, and came home on a sacrifice bunt from Zeena Barbarita (Johnston, R.I.). Jakiela scored on a sacrifice to left by senior third baseman Kristen Parolise (Hamden, Conn.).
Colonel junior second baseman Amanda Felzmann (Bellingham, Mass.) led off the 4th with a triple to left center and scored on a single from outfielder Chelsey Munsey (Leominster, Mass.). Salve Regina starting pitcher Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) escaped further damage that frame when a shot by freshman Ariel LaRosa (Saugus, Mass.) caromed off the hurler's glove to Seahawk shortstop Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) who got LaRosa out at first.
Cruver drove in her batterymate, Jakiela, with a single up the middle in the Seahawk 4th. Simpson later earned a bases-loaded walk to bring home Cruver with the fourth Salve Regina run.
Curry scored twice in its 5th inning which started with a single to center for outfielder Mikaela Carney (No. Reading, Mass.). She came home on a double to left center from junior outfielder Valarie LaSala (Seaford, N.Y.). Munsey delivered LaSala with a bases-loaded, sacrifice fly to center.
LaSala batted in the tying run in the top of the 6th with a two-out single up the middle that scored Taryn Vigeant (Terryville, Conn.).
The Seahawks broke the 4-4 deadlock with a three-run 6th. Dinan had a one-out single to left and, following a walk to infielder Jennifer Edine (Warwick, R.I.), Simpson singled up the middle for the go-ahead run. With two outs, Quintana plated Edine and Simpson for insurance runs with a single to left field.
Cruver got a ground out and two fly outs in the 7th for her ninth victory of the season.
Curry scored five times on five hits in its second at-bat in Game Two off Seahawk starter Simpson. LaSala had an RBI single to right and later scored on a long sac fly to left by catcher Heather Carrier (Scarborough, Maine). After Felzmann drove in Abigail Macomber (Milton, Mass.), senior outfielder Caitlin Luquet (Walnut Creek, Calif.) delivered a two-run single up the middle.
Cruver led off the Seahawk 3rd with a double and pinch-runner Bethany Snow (Thomaston, Maine) scored on Dinan's inside-the-park home run to left center. Edine and Simpson had successive singles before Quintana had a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 5-3.
Cruver and Simpson swapped positions in the Colonel 4th and Curry tacked on two more runs. A Luquet double scored Felzmann and Luquet later scored when Simpson made a sliding effort to come up with LaRosa's single to right center.
Macomber singled in Vigeant in the top of the 7th with what appeared to be enough of a cushion for Curry starter Jennifer Lundstrom (Rehoboth, Mass.).
Parolise led off the Seahawk 7th with a single up the middle. After a walk to Cruver, pinch-runner Deanna Ciccarelli (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) came around to score on Dinan's single to center. Edine drove in Cruver with a single to left center. Muehlbronner's grounder to second plated Dinan making it 8-6 with two outs.
Edine scored the team's seventh run when Jakiela reached on a muffed throw by the Colonel first baseman. Barbarita's single to center tied the score at 8-all. With the bases loaded, Lundstrom retired her counterpart on a grounder to short.
In the Colonel 8th inning, senior Joneiha Veiga (Brockton, Mass.) was placed as a runner on second. Paige Smigiel (Versailles, Conn.) moved her to third, and advanced to second, after singling down the left field line. A Luquet grounder brought Veiga home while Munsey added an insurance run with a single up the middle.
Cruver, placed on second in the Seahawk 8th, scored on a one-out outfielder error that allowed Edine to reach scoring position as well. Simpson reached on an infield single to move Edine to third with the potential tying run. LaRosa handled a grounder to third base by Muehlbronner, checked Edine at the bag, and gunned the out at first with Simpson representing the winning run now at second. After a four-pitch walk to Quintana, Lundstrom got the final out on a fly ball to left.
Salve Regina plays at Roger Williams (4/4) and UMass Dartmouth (4/5) before the Easter break. Curry hosts Wentworth on Wednesday. (Recap courtesy of SRU Sports Information)
