BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Softball team swept a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader on Senior Day against Nichols College Sunday evening with two wins by the scores of 6-5 and 10-1.
In the first game, the Hawks got on the board first with a pair of runs by Michelle Caprice (Oak Ridge, N.J.) and Erica Castro (Medford, N.Y.) in the first inning. The Bison then responded in the second inning with Lindsey Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) and Valeri Calcagni (Rocky Hill, Conn.) coming around to score to tie the game at two.
Nichols took a brief 3-2 lead in the third on Chelsea Correira's (Seekonk, Mass.) RBI single, but the Hawks regained the advantage after putting up four runs in their half of the inning, getting RBI hits by Caprice and Castro, in addition to a sacrifice fly by Hannah Pirez (Bolton, Mass.) to go up by three runs.
The Bison continued to climb their way back into the game when Ashley Robidoux (Milford, Mass.) knocked a two-run single to bring Nichols within one. In the top of the seventh, the Bison threatened to take the lead once again after getting runners at second and third with two outs, but the Hawks closed the door with a called third strike to hang on for the win.
Jaclyn Doolin (Miller Place, N.Y.) picked up the win, going the distance and giving up five runs (three earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts. Castro finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Melissa Sereti (Shrewsbury, Mass.) also added two hits.
Hassett took the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts. She went 1-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored, with Robidoux going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
The Hawks began the second game with two RBI hits by Pirez and Jessie Lauze (Hopkinton, Mass.) in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Nichols was able to get one of those runs back on an RBI single by Samantha Hardigan (Brockton, Mass.), but RWU then put up another two runs in the second on a two-RBI double by Sarah Grill (Watervliet, Mass.).
The Hawks broke the game open in the fourth inning, taking advantage of a pair of Bison errors in the inning to score six runs in the frame to extend the lead to 10-1. RWU picked up the win in the shortened game after setting down Nichols in order in the top of the fifth.
Doolin earned her second win of the day, pitching five innings of three-hit ball, striking out six in the process. Grill and Pirez each finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) suffered the loss in part to a defense that committed five errors in the game, allowing ten runs but only one earned in 3.1 innings. Chelsea Correira had a hit and a run scored in two at-bats with Harding going 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Roger Williams (20-14, 12-6 TCCC) will be at UMass-Dartmouth Monday for a 3:00 p.m. game, while Nichols (13-21, 11-11 TCCC) will be at Westfield State Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.
