NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University sophomore Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.) pitched a 3-hitter in the nightcap of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) doubleheader with Gordon College and enabled the Seahawks to split with the Scots. Gordon (3-8; 1-3 TCCC) won its first league game of the season when it rallied for five runs in its last at bat in the opener, 8-6; Salve Regina (6-10; 4-2 TCCC) rebounded with a 9-1 victory in Game Two.

ECAC Pitcher of the Week Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) surrendered just one run over the first five innings. Simpson's mates staked her to a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first two innings. Jennifer Edine (Warwick, R.I.), who extended her hit streak to nine consecutive at bats with a single in the 2nd, scored on a passed ball.

The Seahawks had scored their first run on a wild pitch strike three. Scot shortstop Liz Cheesman (Winslow, Maine) singled up the middle in the 4th to cut the Gordon deficit in half.

Salve Regina added two more runs to its lead in the bottom half when junior co-captain Deanna Ciccarelli (Paramus, N.J.) slapped a single to right field to bring home Cruver. Senior co-captain Christina Walsh (Putnam Valley, N.J.) laced an RBI single to right field.

The Seahawks made it 5-1 in the 5th when Edine and Bryce McEwen (No. Yarmouth, Maine) pulled off a double steal. Gordon scored two runs with two out in its 6th inning. Kerry McPartlan (Yonkers, N.Y.) led off the frame with a single. After advancing to third on a pair of wild pitches, McPartlan came home on an Amber Harris (Concord, N.H.) single up the middle. Kendall Bukurus (No. Falmouth, Maine) followed with an RBI single up the middle.

Shortstop Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) doubled with one out in the Seahawk 6th and Simpson delivered a would-be insurance run with her single to right.

Simpson's counterpart, Claire Bennett (Mumford, N.Y.), led off the Gordon 7th inning with an opposite field single. Emily Bordon (Groton, Conn.) followed with a single up the middle. After one out, the two advanced on a wild pitch and came home on a triple by Cheesman.

Cheesman, representing the tying run, was held at third when Simpson got a groundout to first base. Harris delivered the tying run with a double to right field and later scored the go-ahead run on a dropped fly ball. Bennett added an insurance RBI with a bases-loaded single.

In Game Two, Simpson staked Cruver to a 2-0 lead with a double to centerfield in the 1st. In the Seahawk 4th, Cruver singled with one out and eventually came home on a two-run triple by Edine (2-for-2 with three RBI in nightcap).

In the Seahawk 6th, after Edine had singled in her former high school teammate Zeena Barbarita (Johnston, R.I.), Walsh ended the game with a two-run double for the eight-run margin.

"It shows a lot of leadership for the team to bounce back after the first game," said Seahawk head coach Kerri Scroope. "Cruver got it done with her pitching and hitting."

Salve Regina travels to Roger Williams on Wednesday while Gordon has a shorter trip to Beverly, Mass., for its DH with Endicott College.

Gordon 8, Salve Regina 6 (03/29/11 at Newport, R.I.) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon.............. 000 102 5 -  8 16  1      (4-7, 1-2)
Salve Regina........ 110 211 0 -  6 10  5      (5-10, 3-2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Gordon - Claire Bennett and Rachel Otto; Rachael Morrisey. Salve Regina -
Marissa Simpson and Jillian Quintana.
Win-Claire Bennett  Loss-Marissa Simpson(3-3)  T-2:17  A-0
Game: SB0329_1

Salve Regina 9, Gordon 1 (03/29/11 at Newport, R.I.) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon.............. 000 001 - 1 3 2 (4-8, 1-3)
Salve Regina........ 210 204 - 9 8 3 (6-10, 4-2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Gordon - Hannah Lawrence and Rachael Morrisey. Salve Regina - Jen Cruver and
Jillian Quintana.
Win-Jen Cruver Loss-Hannah Lawrence T-1:22 A-41
Game: SB0329_2