Springfield, Mass. – October 4, 2025 – The Springfield College football team handed Salve Regina University its first loss of the season and defeated the Seahawks, 28-14, on Saturday afternoon in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Stagg Field.

Springfield improved to 3-2 overall and to 2-0 in NEWMAC play, while Salve Regina, which was receiving votes in this week's AFCA Division III poll, fell to 4-1, 1-1.

Springfield was guided offensively by Bode Dunn (Stockton, N.J.), who rushed for 92 total yards and for a touchdown, while quarterback TJ Welch (Shrewsbury, Mass.) passed for 49 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Pride spread out its offense with four student-athletes posting 70 or more yards on the ground. Trey Rios (Northampton, Mass.) was the recipient of both of Welch's touchdown passes this afternoon. Defensively, Tyler Sordillo (Hull, Mass.) registered nine tackles – two and a half for a loss – and two and a half sacks.

As a team, Springfield held the ball for nearly 38 minutes of this afternoon's game and produced 465 yards of total offense including 416 on the ground. The Pride went 6-for-10 on third downs and scored on all three of its chances in the red zone.

After both teams stalled on their first drives of the game, Springfield took over with 9:51 to play in the opening quarter and embarked on a nine play, 82 yard drive over nearly six minutes to score the game's first points. Welch broke through for a 26 yard rush on second and long before Dunn punched it in from 14 yards out six plays later for a 6-0 lead.

The Pride forced a three and out early in the second and began its drive from its own six yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Desmond Perezcastaneda (Brockton, Mass.) broke free for 20 yards and eventually broke into Salve territory following a four yard gain from Stanford Davis (Montague, N.J.). Then on second and six, Welch launched a pass 43 yards into the end zone and into the hands of Rios for a 13-0 advantage as the score stood at halftime. In the first half, Salve Regina possessed the ball for less than seven total minutes – a testament to the Springfield defense.

Salve Regina came out of the locker room and broke the shutout with its first points of the game on a seven yard rush through the middle by Thomas Fallon, but Springfield answered on the ensuing drive to make it 20-7. Davis again broke free for a long run – this time 26 yards on second and one pushing Springfield to the 50 yard line. Perezcastaneda nearly had a touchdown of his own, but the play was called back due to holding, but three plays later  - two of which came from Emeka Yearwood (Cromwell, Conn.), Yearwood took the ball 11 yards into the end zone.

Leading 20-14 midway through the fourth, Springfield was faced with a third down and its own 34 yard line. Dunn broke free down the left sideline for 62 yards all the way down to the four before Welch found Rios again in the back of the end zone for some insurance points accounting for the 28-14 final. The Seahawks tried to rally on its final drive but eventually turned the ball over on downs ending the game.

Springfield will have its bye week next Saturday before heading to WPI for a NEWMAC tilt on October 18 at 3:30 pm.

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