MELBOURNE, Fla. (March 15, 2026) -- Salve Regina opened play at the Space Coast Spring Games in Melbourne, Florida, with a pair of Sunday matchups against Western Connecticut State University and Central College, falling in both contests despite early competitiveness in the opener.
Game 1 — Western Connecticut State 4, Salve Regina 2
A tight early contest slipped away late as Western Connecticut State University used a sixth-inning rally to defeat Salve Regina University, 4–2.
Salve Regina struck first in the top of the second inning.
Victoria Geisser (Scituate, R.I.) doubled to left field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Emma Plourde (Stratham, N.H.).
Ryann Burke (Nutley, N.J.) followed with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing Geisser home for a 1–0 lead.
Western Connecticut State answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. After a hit batter and walk put two runners aboard,
Jaycee Filancia (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) delivered a two-run triple to right field, giving the Wolves a 2–1 advantage.
The Seahawks pulled even in the fourth.
Emily Cronin (Coventry, R.I.) reached on a walk and moved into scoring position on a single from
Gracie Keyes (Portsmouth, R.I.). Plourde then grounded into a run-scoring play that allowed Cronin to cross the plate and tie the game at 2–2.
The game remained deadlocked until the sixth inning. With a runner aboard,
Alyvia Hogg (Hamden, Conn.) raced around the bases for an inside-the-park two-run home run down the right-field line, giving WestConn a 4–2 lead that held through the final frame.
Keyes led Salve Regina offensively with two hits, while Geisser added a double and a run scored. Cronin pitched a complete game, allowing four runs on three hits while striking out five. For the Wolves,
Olivia Bordenaro (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) exceled in relief to earn the victory.
Game 2 — Central College 8, Salve Regina 0 (5 innings)
In the afternoon matchup, Central College broke the game open early and rolled to an 8–0 run-rule victory in five innings over Salve Regina University.
Central quickly seized control with early offense and continued to add runs through the middle innings while holding the Seahawks' lineup in check. The Dutch pitching staff limited Salve Regina's scoring opportunities and secured the shortened victory.
Seahawk head coach
Shauna DeLade on her team's performance for Day 1: "There are a lot of positives to take away from today's games. We had quality at bats and consistent runners on base. Looking forward to building on our opportunities from today in tomorrow's games."
Salve Regina continues play in the Space Coast Spring Games on Monday with additional games scheduled against Rutgers–Newark and another matchup with Central College.
