Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

NEWPORT, R.I. -- Jen Cruver posted a pair of victories on the day as Salve Regina University squeaked out a 5-4 (8 innings), 1-0 sweep of the University of New England in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Saturday afternoon (Apr. 14) at Toppa Field.

The Seahawks (14-12) up their conference ledger to 9-3 with the wins, while the Nor'easters (14-10) slip back to 6-4 in CCC contests.

Cruver and UNE first-year Kelly Reid (Nantucket, Mass.) each battled through regulation of game one to no result, as the game was knotted at 1-1 after seven innings.

Both squads notched their runs in the 3rd frame, started by the Nor'easters on a one-out RBI-double down the line in left by senior Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine). Salve responded in the bottom of the inning, when Marissa Simpson singled up the middle to drive in a run.

With a run already across in the top of the 8th, and two on with two out, Big Blue senior Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) laced a single to right that scored both base runners and made it 4-1.

Jillian Quintana got the Seahawks' 8th started with an RBI-triple to right-center, and a sacrifice fly to left on the next play brought the hosts to within 4-3. With a runner on first and two out, Cruver helped her own cause by doubling down the left field line, moving a pair into scoring position. Laura Anne Dinan followed with a single to right that scored both base runners for the walk-off triumph.

Quintana, Simpson, and Dinan had two hits apiece for Salve. Cruver struck out four while allowing one earned run.

Johnson finished with a pair of hits for UNE, which received five strike outs from Reid in the circle.

Game two was just as tightly contested as the opener, as Cruver and UNE senior Julie Bigelow (Montpelier, Vt.) kept things scoreless through three innings.

The Seahawks tallied only run they would need in the bottom of the 4th, as Simpson tripled down the line in right and scored on a sacrifice fly.

With one out in the top of the 7th, two infield singles gave life to the Nor'easters in their last at-bat. The second out left  runners positioned at the corners, and after a walk, the bases were full. But a grounder on the left side turned into a force out at third, ending the threat.

UNE stranded eight runners in the second game of the doubleheader.

Cruver fanned five while surrendering six hits and one walk over seven innings of work.

Bigelow gave up just five hits and no walks over six frames, striking out a pair in the tough-luck loss. Junior Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) had two hits in the outing to end the day with three for the Nor'easters, equal to Johnson's afternoon output.

Big Blue has little time to rest before taking to the field again early Sunday morning (9:30 a.m.) for part two of its Rhode Island swing at Roger Williams University.

Salve Regina heads to Wentworth Institute of Technology for an afternoon twinbill on Sunday (1 p.m.).