Wentworth, Salve Regina Split TCCC Twinbill

BOSTON, Mass. – Freshman Jillian Quintana's (Denver, Colo.) grand slam highlighted a 10-run top of the seventh inning as the Salve Regina softball team rallied from a 7-5 deficit to beat Wentworth, 15-7 in game two of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader.  The win enabled the Seahawks to garner a split after the Leopards walked off with a 5-4 win in game one.

In the opening game, junior Bridget Souza (Medford, Mass.) came across to score on an illegal pitch call with two outs in the bottom of the first to give Wentworth a 1-0 lead.  The lead would be short lived as Salve Regina struck for a pair in the top of the second when sophomore Kristen Parolise (Hamden, Conn.) delivered an RBI single and scored on a delayed squeeze bunt by freshman Zeena Barbarita (Johnston, R.I.).

Wentworth tied the game in the bottom of the third when sophomore Krysta Cunha (New Bedford, Mass.), who drew a leadoff walk, eventually came around to score on an illegal pitch call and the Leopards took a 3-2 lead in the home half of the sixth when senior Nicole Ferreira (Framingham, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch.

Salve Regina took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning as freshman Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) led off with a home run and Parolise scored on an RBI single from freshman Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.).  The Leopards countered with a pair of runs with no outs in the bottom of the seventh to take the win.  Senior Caylee Johanson (Windsor, Conn.) delivered an RBI single that scored junior Lizz Harvey (McConnellsburg, Pa.) to tie the game, and, with the bases loaded, Souza scored on an errant throw home when sophomore Michele Harrington (New Paltz, N.Y.) reached on a fielder's choice.

Johanson allowed four runs (three earned) over seven innings to earn the win (5-5), while senior Sarah Jakiela (Meriden, Conn.) took the loss (4-4) after allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and striking out nine.  Souza led the Leopards with two hits while Cruver had three hits for the Seahawks.

Salve Regina took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the nightcap when Parolise tripled in Cruver, who had led off by reaching on an error.  Parolise would come in to score on a groundout by sophomore Nikki Hirschbeck (Shelton, Conn.).  In the home half of the inning Wentworth trimmed the lead in half when Harrington scored on an outfield error.

The Seahawks extended the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third after Parolise delivered an RBI single to left field before the Leopards tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out, two-run double off the bat of junior Jen Giudice (Central Valley, N.Y.).  The top of the sixth inning saw Salve Regina go ahead, 5-3, when Parolise and Cruver scored on an error.  The Seahawks threatened but, Johanson got a bases-loaded groundout to end the inning.

Wentworth plated four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-5 lead, aided in part by an RBI double from Samantha Altieri (Lakeville, Mass.) and an RBI single from Cunha.  Harvey delivered the big blast of the inning with a two-run double.

Trailing by two runs the Seahawks scored all 10 of their runs before an out was recorded and were aided by three Leopard errors, including two on force plays at the plate.  Quintana's blast to center on the first pitch she saw would turn an 11-7 game into a 15-7 game and Jakiela would set the Leopards down in order in the home half of the seventh to nail down the win.

Parolise was 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Quintana was 2-for-5 with four RBI and junior Christina Walsh (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI.  Harvey and Giudice each drove in two runs for the Leopards.

Jakiela improved to 5-5 as she allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits and struck out six.  Johanson scattered 11 hits and allowed 15 runs (11 earned) to fall to 6-6.

Wentworth stands at 6-7 overall and 1-1 in TCCC play.  The Leopards host Eastern Nazarene on Monday afternoon.  Salve Regina is 6-4 overall and 1-3 in league play and hosts Rhode Island College on Sunday.