Softball Sweeps Past Daniel Webster

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team picked up a pair of New England Collegiate Conference victories over Daniel Webster College on Monday afternoon, winning in five innings in each game by final scores of 10-2 and 9-1 at Alumni Field.

Emily Morenzoni went 3-for-5 at the plate, knocked in four runs and scored three times to lead the Mariners. Shannon O'Neil also had three hits and drove in three runs while Lindsey Romagnino finished with a pair of hits and two RBI. Starting pitchers Brittany Fiederlein and Tricia Tomaselli each picked up wins for Mitchell.

Mitchell (14-17 overall, 10-6 NECC) will next host Wheelock College on Saturday, April 26 at noon. Daniel Webster (0-16 overall, 0-14 NECC) returns to action at New England College on Tuesday, April 22 at 3 p.m.

Game 1 – Mitchell 10, Daniel Webster 2 (5 innings)

Mitchell built a 3-0 lead with single runs in each of the first three innings. With two outs in the first, the Mariners pushed a run across thanks to back-to-back doubles by Romagnino and O'Neil. Fielding errors by the Eagles then resulted in Mitchell runs in both the second and third frames.

Fiederlein worked her way out of trouble in the fourth after the Eagles loaded the bases with only one out. She recorded the second out via strikeout before catcher Samantha Ryan picked off the runner at third base to end the inning.

Mitchell sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth and broke the game open with six runs, plating five before the first out was even recorded. Alexandra Blanchette, Shelby Patton and Romagnino each delivered RBI singles in the rally while Morenzoni provided a two-run base hit.

The Eagles were one out away from defeat in the fifth before Sara Pelkey cracked a two-run double to center field to make it a 9-2 game. However, the Mariners loaded the bases in the home half of the fifth and scored a run on a single to left by Morenzoni to enact the eight-run rule.

Fiederlein gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out six over 5.0 innings to improve to 10-7 on the season. Pelkey (0-9 overall) took the loss for the Eagles, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits while striking out three.

Game 2 – Mitchell 9, Daniel Webster 1 (5 innings)

Mitchell went ahead 3-0 in the first inning and never looked back. Rivkah Berkman walked to lead things off and moved from first to third on a sacrifice bunt. She then scored on a ball put into play by Romagnino, and the Mariners later added another pair of runs on a single to left by Tomaselli.

Mitchell erupted for six runs in the second inning to take a commanding lead. Blanchette tripled to center field and promptly scored on a wild pitch to start the rally, and O'Neil, Morenzoni, Dylan Riccardi and Ryan all followed with RBI singles as the Mariners sent 12 batters to the plate.

Tomaselli hit trouble in the third when Daniel Webster put two runners on with nobody out. However, she got the next batter to pop up a bunt, and the Mariners doubled up the runner at first on the play. Tomaselli then struck out the ensuing batter to escape the inning unscathed.

Daniel Webster put a run on the board in the fifth but couldn't extend the game. Abigail Goslin hit a ground-rule double into the left-center gap to put runners at second and third with only one out. The Eagles later scored a run on a passed ball and throwing error by the Mitchell defense, but Tomaselli struck out the final two batters to secure the eight-run win in five innings.

Tomaselli improved to 4-10 on the season. She allowed just the one unearned run while scattering three hits and striking out six. Mollie Bartles made the start for Daniel Webster and surrendered nine runs (two earned) on four hits over 1.1 innings.