NEWPORT, R.I. - On a cold and windy afternoon, the second-seeded Salve Regina University softball team (20-15) rode its hot bats and an even hotter pitching performance from sophomore Nicole Parry (Quincy, Mass.) who threw a no-hitter en route to a convincing 10-0 defeat of the third-seeded Curry College (24-16) in the quarterfinal round of the CCC playoffs.

Parry (10-5) pitched all five innings for the Seahawks in the mercy-rule win, recording eight strikeouts while surrendering just one walk over 16 batters. In the third inning she struck out three consecutive Curry hitters.

Senior pitcher Jennifer Lundstrom (Rehobeth, Mass.) took the mound for the Colonels, allowing six earned runs and six hits over 2.1 innings. Lundstrom struck out one batter while walking two, and allowed a homerun to Salve Regina freshman first baseman Lauren Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.). Freshman McKenna Barlow (Middletown, R.I.) pitched an inning in relief for the Colonels, allowing four runs (three earned), three hits and a walk.

With the score tied at zero entering the bottom of the second inning, Salve Regina's offense jumped on the scoreboard. Senior Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.) walked with two outs, and freshman Katie Napier (Medford, Mass.) singled up the middle. Freshman Lexi Soucie (North Easton, Mass.) then walked to load the bases. Next to bat was freshman Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Conn.) who doubled to deep left center field, clearing the bases and collecting three RBI.

In the bottom of the third, sophomore Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.) singled up the middle and then stole second base on the first pitch of the next at-bat. After Benoit advanced to third on a groundout, senior Sara Nelson (Bristol, Conn.) singled up the middle and picked up an RBI. Fountain then hit a two-run homer to increase the Seahawk lead to 6-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, Soucie walked to start the inning while Bukovsky reached base on an errant throw to first. Senior Jenna Edine (Warwick, R.I.) then doubled to left field, clearing the bases for two RBI's. Freshman Kara O'Riley (Acton, Mass.) singled through the right side to score Edine. After O'Riley advanced two bases on back-to-back wild pitches, Nelson singled and picked up the RBI.

With today's win, Salve Regina will travel to face the top-seeded Endicott College Gulls on Thursday for the next round of double elimination games in the CCC tournament. Though Colonels lost, they are still alive in the tournament while facing an elimination game against University of New England also on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

~ Written by Leon Bayles