TUCSON, Ariz. (Friday, March 14, 2025) -- Salve Regina University softball battled the Statesmen of William Penn University and the Comets of Mayville State University in a pair of spring break contests in the Tucson Invitational Games at Lincoln Park. Both games on Friday ended with the home team "walking" off with a Mercy Rule victory.
Seahawk starting pitcher
Emily Cronin homered in the top of the fifth for the first hit against Statesmen starter Tori Smith to pull Salve Regina within three (4-1).
Sam Franceschi followed with a single, but the rally ended there. William Penn scored seven times in its half of the fifth, including a grand slam by Tori's twin sister and battery-mate (Laila Smith), to finish with an 11-1 victory in five innings.
Against the Comets, Cronin had a first-inning RBI triple that scored Seahawk starting pitcher
Alex Kelly who had earlier driven in
Jacey Cosciello with a single. Cronin's sixth-inning double preceded a double by
Olivia Saccoccio which ended the game at 8-0 when Kelly and Cronin crossed the plate.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS
Finals: [1] William Penn 11, Salve Regina 1 (5 inn.); [2] Salve Regina 8, Mayville St. 0 (6 inn.)
Records: Salve Regina (2-6), William Penn (15-8), Mayville St. (5-18)
History: First meetings ever for the Seahawks against the Statesmen and Comets.
SUMMARY VERSUS WILLIAM PENN
- B1 - . | STATESMEN 2, SEAHAWKS 0
- B4 - . | STATESMEN 4, SEAHAWKS 0
- T5 - With two outs, Emily Cronin homered to left field for the first Seahawk that also spoiled Tori Smith's shutout bid. | STATESMEN 4, SEAHAWKS 1
- B5 - . | STATESMEN 11, SEAHAWKS 1
NOTEWORTHY
- Tori Smith struck out the first three Seahawks she faced and retired the first 11 batters before issuing a two-out walk to Ayanna Fernandez in the fourth.
SUMMARY VERSUS MAYVILLE STATE
- B1 - Jacey Cosciello led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chloe Nittoly. Cosciello, playing shortstop for the first time this year, stole third base before Alex Kelly singled her home. One out later, Emily Cronin made the score 2-0 with an RBI triple to right field. | SEAHAWKS 2, COMETS 0
- B4 - Emily Lane led off with a double and stole third base. The Seahawks loaded the bases and Lane scored on Cosciello's RBI ground out.. | SEAHAWKS 3, COMETS 0
- B6 - Seahawks opened the frame with opposite-field singles by a pair of pinch hitters. Skylar Wicklund slashed a single to left and Madi Allard followed with a poke to right. Both runners moved up a bag with thefts. Cosciello walked to load the bases before Nittoly worked a base on balls to drive in the team's fourth run of the game. Alex Kelly had an RBI fielder's choice bloop to centerfield off the new Comet pitcher (in from right field), Autumn McGough. Morganti Bello followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to put the Seahawks up 6-0. Emily Cronin doubled down the left field line to put runners at second and third before Olivia Saccoccio launched an 0-1 pitch to left center for a ground rule double that scored Kelly and Cronin. | SEAHAWKS 8, COMETS 0
NOTEWORTHY
- Alex Kelly took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before allowing a one-out single, and later a one-out pinch-hit double in the top of the sixth.
- Emily Cronin nearly had a cycle on the day: home run in the first game, and a triple/double in the second game, just missing a single.
- Emily Lane also had two hits (including a double).
- The Seahawks swiped eight bags in the nightcap - Cosciello, Jacey (1); Nittoly, Chloe (1); Bello, Morganti (1); Lane, Emily (2); Lanteri, Kylie (1); Wicklund, Skylar (1); Allard, Madi (1).
- Jacey Cosciello, who has started all eight games for the Seahawks, had her first start of the season at shortstop (previous seven starts were in center field).
HIGHLIGHTS ON X
NEXT UP
Salve Regina returns to New England on Saturday before classes resume on Monday after spring break. The Seahawks travel to Wenham, Mass., to meet former conference foe Gordon College on Saturday, March 22, for a non-league doubleheader with first pitch at noon. The next day the Seahawks have their home debut when they host the Saints of Emmanuel College in a doubleheader at Toppa Field (12 p.m.).
