NEWPORT, R.I. (April 22, 2026) -- Junior Emma Plourde (Stratham, N.H.) went 5-for-7 and drove in four runs for Salve Regina University softball in a doubleheader, but the Seahawks were swept in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action against Clark University, 9-6 and 4-1, at Toppa Field on Wednesday afternoon in Newport, Rhode Island.

In the opener, the Cougars (14-15, 3-9 NEWMAC) capitalized on 11 free passes issued by the Seahawk pitching. Felicia Salvati's (Naugatuck, Conn.) first-inning sac fly gave Clark the early lead. Emily Cronin (Coventry, R.I.) doubled in Lillian Bridges (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) in the bottom of the frame to tie the score right away. Plourde followed with her first double to give Salve Regina (3-27, 0-14 NEWMAC) its first lead. Bottom of the second, Bridges doubled down the left field line to bring Taylor Ferraiolo (Madison, Conn.) home for a 3-1 Seahawk advantage.

In the Cougar third, three straight walks and a wild pitch led to a run before Merry Griffin (Barrington, R.I.) delivered a two-run single and Clark was back on top, 4-3. Abby Merck (Lorton, Va.) fielded a grounder at third and ended the inning with a double play.

Cronin's triple tied the score at 4-4 with Gracie Keyes (Portsmouth, R.I.) crossing home plate in the Seahawk third. Plourde singled through the left side to score Cronin from third and Salve Regina regained the lead.

Megan Dube's (Leominster, Mass.) bases-loaded double in the fourth made the score Cougars 6, Seahawks 5. Griffin added another run with a sac fly and Avery Della Piana (Tewksbury, Mass.) gave Clark a three-run advantage with a single to plate Dube.

Plourde had her second run-producing double to cut the deficit to two (8-6) in the fifth before getting cut down at third for the second out of the inning. Ryann Burke (Nutley, N.J.) followed with a single but was stranded at first.

Della Piana finished the scoring with a sac fly in the sixth. Brooke Buzzeo (Trumbull, Conn.) improved to 8-5 with the complete-game effort.

In the nightcap, Salve Regina took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and brought that same score into the final inning. Plourde singled in Cronin from second base after her classmate had doubled with two outs in the opening frame.

Shea Murphy (Westfield, N.J.) carried a shutout into the seventh inning while limiting the Cougars to just five hits. The Cougars scored four runs on three hits and a couple of walks in their final at bat. Griffin led off the seventh with a single to right field and was sacrificed to second. Back-to-back free passes loaded the bases with one out. Gricelda Castro (Boston, Mass.) lifted a fly ball to right center where Bridges caught it for the second out and all three base runners advanced, including the game-tying run. Emelie Spence (Margate, Fla.) blooped a two-run single to shallow left center and Erin Slavin (Rocky Hill, Conn.) punched an RBI single to right field. Dube (W, 5-9) got the Seahawks in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Salve Regina continues its eight-game home stand with a NEWMAC doubleheader on Friday against Babson College with a Toppa Field first pitch at 4 p.m. on FloCollege.