TUCSON, Ariz. (Monday, March 10, 2025) -- Salve Regina University softball battled the Diplomats of Franklin and Marshall College in a spring break doubleheader to kick off the Seahawk season in the Tucson Invitational Games at Lincoln Park. In Game One, the Diplomats (2-2) scored four runs in the top of the first before Salve Regina (0-2) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score. Franklin and Marshall pulled away with a three-run seventh to win, 7-4. Seahawk starter
Alex Kelly pitched a complete game and struck out a dozen Diplomats while allowing just five base hits and two earned runs.
In Game Two, Salve Regina got up early with a first-inning run when
Ayanna Fernandez and
Emily Cronin had back-to-back doubles with two outs. The Seahawks added two more in the top of the fifth for a 3-0 lead.
Sophia Gendron entered the fifth inning with the three-run cushion and had allowed just one hit to the Diplomats over the first four frames. The lead off batter reached on a two-base error before Gendron struck out the next two Diplomats but then walked a pair to load the bases and then three successive base hits had Franklin and Marshall on top, 5-3. The "home" team added a run in the bottom of the sixth for a 6-3 final.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Finals: [1] Franklin & Marshall 7, Salve Regina 4; [2]Â Franklin & Marshall 6, Salve Regina 3
Records: Salve Regina (0-2), Franklin & Marshall (2-2)
History: Including last year's first-ever meeting, the Diplomats have won all three games against the Seahawks in Tucson. The teams are scheduled to meet again on Thursday at Lincoln Park. Salve Regina softball and baseball were scheduled to play Franklin and Marshall in Florida during the 2020 spring break action.
SUMMARY GAME ONE
- T1 - With one out, Erika Stewart walked and stole second before scoring on Alexa Klepper's triple. Sophia Noriega doubled and stole third before Madison Martin walked and stole second. Those two scored unearned runs when the Seahawks committed an error. | DIPLOMATS 4, SEAHAWKS 0
- B5 - With one out, Emily Cronin singled through the right side and left for pinch runner Madi Allard. Olivia Saccoccio walked and Emily Lane was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Emma Plourde doubled to clear the bases and landed on third after a ground out. Sam Franceschi lifted a single into center field to tie the game. | SEAHAWKS 4, DIPLOMATS 4
- T7 - Jaden Spigner singled through the left side and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. She scored the go ahead run on Claire Sullivan's single to right field. With the bases loaded and no outs, Alex Kelly struck out Stewart and Klepper before Noriega reached on a muffed throw and two unearned runs crossed the plate. | DIPLOMATS 7, SEAHAWKS 4
NOTEWORTHY
SUMMARY GAME TWO
- T1 - Salve Regina became the "visitor" in the second game and took an early 1-0 lead after Ayanna Fernandez and Emily Cronin had back-to-back doubles after the first two Seahawks were retired. |Â SEAHAWKSÂ 1, DIPLOMATS
- T5 - Jacey Cosciello walked and was forced out at second on a fielder's choice grounder by Fernandez. Emily Cronin singled to right field before Madi Allard and Skylar Wicklund became pinch runners and Lilybeth Coury went to the plate as a pinch hitter. After Coury reached on a fielder's choice, Madeleine Oswald and Alex Kelly both had RBI singles through the right side. | SEAHAWKS 3, DIPLOMATS 0
- B5 - Kate Clement started the inning reaching second base on an error. Sophia Gendron struck out two Diplomats, one swinging and one looking, but then walked a pair to load the bases. Gabby Mundy singled to center field to plate two runs and Klepper tied the game with her RBI single to right field. Megan Wiarda doubled to right center to complete the five-run outburst. | DIPLOMATS 5, SEAHAWKS 3
- B6 - Noriega's sacrifice fly scored Clement with the game's final run. |Â DIPLOMATS 6, SEAHAWKS 3
NOTEWORTHY
- Salve Regina outhit Franklin and Marshall in both games, 10-to-5 in the opener and 9-to-5 in the nightcap.
- Alex Kelly went 3-for-3 at the plate in Game Two and collected five hits in seven at bats on the day.
- Emily Cronin (2) and Ayanna Fernandez (2) had multi-hits in the second game. Cronin finished with four hits on the day.
NEXT UP
Salve Regina returns to Lincoln Field for a pair of games on Tuesday, March 11 -- 9 a.m. [MT] versus Dickinson State and 11 a.m. versus Viterbo University.
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