Softball team wins conference championship

The pitching tandem of Nicole Parry ’16 and Kelsey Boarman ’17 combined for their second straight shutout as the Seahawks captured the Commonwealth Coast Conference softball championship with a 2-0 win against Roger Williams University on Saturday, May 7.

Salve Regina (24-16; 14-4 CCC) entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed and went undefeated in four games. This is the fifth conference title for the Seahawks, who earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III softball championship for the first time in program history.

Second baseman Francesca Galeazzi ’18 led off the bottom of the first inning with a single over third base, and left fielder Lindsey Florent ’19 beat out a bunt single. After a fielder’s choice removed Galeazzi from the base paths, Kara O’Riley ’17 grounded out to put Seahawk runners on second and third. A wild pitch from Roger Williams’ starter allowed Florent to score the first run from third.

Salve Regina also had base hits from the first two batters in the second inning – Lexi Soucie ’17 and Genevieve Benoit ’16 – but no advancement beyond second base.

Parry started the game and gave up just two hits over three innings, stranding both runners, and Boarman inherited the 1-0 lead when she started to work the top of the fourth.

Salve Regina added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, with Benoit lining a one-out triple to right field. Melissa Figueiredo ’16 pinch ran for her classmate and scored the second run on an RBI single to left field by Megan Guest ’19.

Pitching and defense finished the job for Salve Regina, as Boarman induced three straight groundouts in the final inning.

The Seahawks will learn their spot in the NCAAs during a selection show on Monday, May 9.