Softball Picks Up First Win at Cusic Classic

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Mitchell College softball team split a pair of games on Saturday at the Gene Cusic Classic, falling 4-0 to Nichols College before bouncing back for an 11-3 win over MCLA.

The win was the first of the season for the Mariners (1-3 overall) and the first in the head coaching career of Jillian Ortega. Mitchell fell behind 3-0 against MCLA but rallied back to score 11 unanswered runs and invoked the eight-run mercy rule after five innings.

Freshman Lindsey Romagnino went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and three runs scored in the game. Senior Nikki Hoxie also scored three times while freshman Dylan Riccardi finished with a pair of hits and drove in a run.

Mitchell trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the third inning but rallied for five runs and never looked back. The Mariners scored the first three runs of the frame thanks to wild pitches by MCLA starter Sam Barbarotta, and sophomore Tricia Tomaselli delivered a two-run double to cap the rally and increase the lead to 6-3.

Freshman Jody Buckley settled down after the first two innings and held MCLA to only one hit over the final three frames. She picked up her first collegiate win and gave up three runs on five hits while walking four and striking out six.

In the day's first game, Mitchell's bats never got going against Nichols starter Molly Ferraro. The Mariners mustered only four hits in the contest, two of which came off the bat of senior Shannen Pelletier. Ferraro struck out nine and walked two to record the shutout.

Mitchell returns to action at the Cusic Classic on Monday against Richard Stockton at 9 a.m. and New Jersey City at 11 a.m.