Gulls end their regular season on a high note
April 25, 2008
Game 1 Box Score - Game 2 Box Score
NEWPORT, R.I. - Freshman Jenna Bortolotti [Milton, Mass.] pitched a four-hit shutout to help nationally-ranked Endicott College sweep Salve Regina University in The Commonwealth Coast Conference softball action Friday. Endicott held off a Seahawk rally to win the first game, 9-6, and then took the second game 7-0.
Bortolotti scattered four singles and struck out seven batters for Endicott, which improved to 35-4 overall and 22-2 in the TCCC. The Gulls are ranked No. 1 in the region, according to the latest New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association poll, and they are No. 20 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 poll.
In the opener, Endicott built a 9-2 over the first six innings before Salve Regina (16-20, 13-9 TCCC) rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Leadoff hitter Jenna Lazar [SO/Milton, Mass.] and No. 2 hitter Danielle Sargent [SR/Sabattus, Maine] combined for five hits, five runs scored and three runs batted in at the top of the order. Sophomore Megan Downey [Ballston Lake, N.Y.] added two hits and two runs scored. Trailing by seven runs heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Seahawks made things very interesting. Junior Caitlin Poplawski [New Britain, Conn.] started the inning with her second hit of the game. Sarah Ramsey [JR/Muncy, Pa.] followed with a triple, and then came in on a single by junior Emily Rodenhiser [Danvers, Mass.]. Consecutive singles by senior Alison Hanson [East Hampton, N.Y.] and freshman Lauryn Dahrooge [Charlton, Mass.] helped pinch runner Christina Walsh [Putnam Valley, N.Y.] come around to score to make it 9-5. With two on and no outs, Jackie Collier [JR/Swampscott, Mass.] relieved starter Jen Elwell [SR/Tewksbury, Mass.]. Collier hit sophomore Kristen Danubio [Glen Rock, N.J.] to load the bases, and then Hanson scored on an error to make it 9-6.
With the potential tying run at the plate and still no outs, Collier settled down and retired the next three batters to end the threat. "It would have been easy for us to roll over and die against a very good team, but we didn't," Salve Regina head coach Kerri Scroope said. "We know we can go up against any team in the league, but we also know we have things we need to fix this weekend before the conference tournament begins."
Salve Regina closes out the regular season with a doubleheader at Wentworth Institute of Technology on Saturday, April 26 (12 p.m.). Endicott's finishes its regular season 33-4 while leading the TCCC with a 22-2 conference record. The Gulls earned the top seed for the TCCC tournament and await a yet-to-be-determined opponent for Tuesday, April 29. Game time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (or 20 minutes following the conclusion of game one)