Softball Celebrates Senior Day with Split of Salve Regina

BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team (25-11-1, 11-7 CCC) closed out the regular season Saturday afternoon celebrating senior day with a 9-5 victory over Salve Regina (18-22, 9-9 CCC) after suffering a 6-3 setback to the Seahawks in the initial game.

 
GAME ONE: SALVE REGINA 6, WENTWORTH 3

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Seahawks were productive in the third inning as a pair of singles by sophomore Jacey Cosciello (Seymour, Conn.) and junior Christina Braid (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) brought home two runners, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead.
• In the fourth inning, a sacrifice fly from sophomore Sam Franceschi (East Haven, Conn.) expanded Salve Regina's advantage to 3-0.
• A busy fifth inning featured a double by sophomore Kylie Lanteri (Berlin, Conn.) that brought home an initial score to extend the Seahawks' lead to 4-0. Shortly after, singles by Braid and senior Sophia Strazza (Wilton, Conn.) brought home a score each, extending the visitors' lead to 6-0.
• The Leopards began to claw back in the sixth inning as a sacrifice fly by freshman Kyla Igawa (Long Beach, Calif.) brought home a score by graduate student Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) before a double play for the Seahawks concluded the frame, marking a 6-1 score.
• A triple by sophomore Katie Kranz (Bedford, Mass.) in the seventh inning ran home a score by senior Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.), cutting the deficit to 6-2. Freshman Kait Shawney (Portsmouth, N.H.) reached base on a error and Kranz scored on the same play, cutting the deficit to 6-3, before two strikeouts later in the inning ruined Wentworth's comeback bid.
• Offensively, five Leopards recorded a hit while senior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) notched a double and Kranz recorded a triple. In the circle, Hancock struck out five batters and surrendered 11 hits in a complete showing.

GAME TWO: WENTWORTH 9, SALVE REGINA 5

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After Pettenger got on base with a triple in her first at-bat, two batters later, Pina singled right down the middle, bringing the speedy senior home for a score to mark a 1-0 advantage.
• Wentworth opened the scoring wide open in the second inning as a single by senior Julia Hutchinson (North Billerica, Mass.) combined with an error brought home a score by senior Julia Bollentin (South Kingstown, R.I.), extending the lead to 2-0. Later, a double by Pettenger with two runners on base brought both home, extending the lead to 4-0.
• Still in the second inning, a single by graduate student Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) ran home a score by sophomore Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) before a double by Pina brought home scores by Pettenger and Beverly, stretching the lead to a commanding 6-0 score. Sophomore Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) reached base on an error, giving Pina enough time to safely cap the inning's score with a run to mark a 7-0 score.
• Salve Regina got on the board in the fourth inning as a walk with the bases loaded brought home a score to mark a 7-1 score.
• The Seahawks threatened more so in the fifth inning as a single by Braid with the bases loaded brought home two scores, cutting the deficit to 7-3. At the next at-bat, Strazza reached first on an error while a runner scored, cutting the deficit to 7-4 just before a ground out by Franceschi ran home a run to cut the deficit to just two at 7-5. A strikeout ended the Seahawks' threat shortly after.
• A single by Igawa in the sixth inning with two runners on base brought home a score by Pettenger, extending the Leopards' lead to 8-5, before Beverly and Igawa both advanced on wild pitches at the next at-bat with Beverly heading home safely, marking a 9-5 score.
• Hancock ended the Seahawks' last chance to get back in the game in the seventh inning, striking out one and retiring the final two to leave no runners on base.
• Pina (3-4, 3 RBI) and Pettenger (3-4, 1 RBI) guided the bats in an offensive showing. In the circle, freshman Julie Schriver (Moscow, Pa.) struck out three batters in four innings before Hancock struck out four in relief.

SERIES NOTES:

• Wentworth has won three of the last four matchups against the Seahawks.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards open the CCC Tournament next Wednesday. Pairings and further information will be released tomorrow.

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