WENHAM, Mass. – The fifth-seeded Salve Regina softball team won its second game of the day Thursday to stay alive in the elimination round of the 2009 The Commonwealth Coast Conference Softball Championship, defeating seventh-seeded Nichols College, 5-2, in a game played at Gordon College. The Seahawks (25-18-1) rallied from a one-run deficit with a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to advance to face top-seeded Endicott Saturday at 10 a.m.
Junior pitcher Sarah Jakiela earned her second win of the day with a complete-game six-hitter, striking out five to improve to 25-16 on the season. She helped her winning effort by driving in what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning on her only hit of the day, finishing 1-for-3 at the plate.
Samantha Hardigan (Brockton, Mass.) led the Bison with a 2-for-3 effort including a triple and a run scored. She got things going in the third with a leadoff triple down the right field line, and came across for the Bison’s first run on a Savannah Thibault (Marlboro, Mass.) single to right field.
Thibault came across to score on an Ashley Robidoux (Milford, Mass.) RBI single through the left side after advancing on an error and a sacrifice bunt from Loren Rozanski (Plainville, Conn.).
Bison pitcher Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) had held the Seahawks to two hits –both bunts- until freshman Kristen Parolise unleashed a one-out solo home run over the centerfield fence in the fourth to cut the Bison’s lead to 2-1.
Salve Regina took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on three hits and an error. With one out, senior Emily Rodenheiser singled up the middle, and then came around to third when Caitlin Poplawski doubled to deep center field. After a foul flyout, a dropped ball at first base landed Sarah Ramsey safe as Rodenheiser scored the tying run. Jakiela did the rest with a single through the right before Robidoux got Nichols out of the inning by running in from left field to snag a line drive.
The Seahawks extended their lead in the sixth on a hit and two errors. Katie Vieira led off with a single and was relieved on the bases by Christina Walsh. Sarah Coute (Somerset, Mass.) reached on a fielder’s choice as Walsh was safe at second via an error. With runners on first and second, Kristen Danubio drove the ball into left field and came all the way to third on an error, scoring Coute and Walsh.
Ferraro took the loss for Nichols, allowing five runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out three.
The Bison close out their season with a 17-24 record.
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