NEWPORT, R.I. – The UMass Dartmouth softball team split their non-conference doubleheader at Salve Regina University on Wednesday evening from Toppa Field. The Corsairs secured their 12
th win of the season after defeating the Seahawks 10-7 in game one but were edged 7-6 in the final game of the day to move to 12-6 overall on the season.
The Corsairs took the early 1-0 edge in the first inning after senior infielder
Larissa Piessens brought senior outfielder
Kinu Takasugi home with her sacrifice fly. The Seahawks quickly answered in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game up at 1-apiece. Sophomore pitcher
Lily Routhier scored junior infielder
RaeLynn Perregaux in the fourth inning to give UMass Dartmouth back a 2-1 lead.
Salve Regina once again knotted the game up 2-2 thanks to Emily Moskal's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, Piessens laced the ball to center field scoring two runs to put the Corsairs ahead 4-2. Shortly after, Perregaux tagged junior infielder
Emma Talpey home with her sacrifice fly to make it a 5-2 game. UMass Dartmouth continued to tack on three more runs in the top of the sixth highlighted by an RBI single from sophomore
Chaylin Cruz Salgado.
The Seahawks responded in the bottom of the sixth, posting three runs off four hits to narrow Corsairs lead down to 8-5. Sophomore catcher
Olivia Silva and Routhier each recorded an RBI in the final inning to claim a 10-5 cushion. Despite two late runs in the bottom of the seventh for Salve Regina, UMass Dartmouth held on to secure their 12
th win of the season by a final score of 10-7.
Piessens led the team after going 1-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and one stolen base. Takasugi produced a team-high two hits in game one after five at-bats featuring one run and pair of stolen bases. Routhier, who picked up her fifth win on the mound this season, tallied two RBI after going 1-for-3 at the plate. Perreguax went 1-for-3 in the win with one RBI, two runs, and a double. Cruz Salgado also recorded a pair of runs and one RBI after registering one hit on three at-bats while Silva went 1-for-1 with one RBI and one run.
Routhier pitched six full innings for UMass Dartmouth to improve to a 5-1 record. She allowed five earned runs off nine hits and recorded two strikeouts after facing 29 batters. First year pitcher
Riley Giard finished the game throwing the last inning for the Corsairs. She allowed two earned runs off three hits and punched out one batter.
In the second game, the Corsairs once again jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage as Piessens grounded out for an RBI to score Takasugi home. Piessens doubled UMass Dartmouth's lead in the top of the third for her second RBI of the contest to make it 2-0. Routhier then gave the Corsairs a 3-1 edge after doubling to left field to tag Silva home in the fourth inning. Salve Regina took their first lead of the night after scoring four runs off five hits in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Corsairs answered in the top of the sixth by cashing in three runs on three hits to regain a 6-5 lead over the Seahawks. Senior
Jillian Walsh singled to left field for two RBI while Routhier also tacked on another RBI for UMass Dartmouth. The Seahawks managed to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh after Kylie Lanteri doubled for the game winning RBI to take game two by a final score of 7-6.
Routhier went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, one run, and a double. Piessens and Walsh each recorded one hit and two RBI apiece in game two while Silva produced the only other double for the Corsairs after going 1-for-3 with one run.
First year pitcher
Edy Crawford threw for 4.1 innings giving up five earned runs and nine hits while also striking out two batters. Giard picked up the loss after checking into for the last 1.2 innings. She allowed two earned runs off three hits and recorded one punchout after facing eight batters.
UMass Dartmouth open Little East Conference play on Saturday, April 5 hosting VTSU Castleton for their Senior Day. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. followed by a 2:00 p.m. start time for game two of the day.
