Lesley Snaps Softball's Streak

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Lesley University picked up a pair of wins over Mitchell College on Monday afternoon by final scores of 4-0 and 10-1 in New England Collegiate Conference softball play at Alumni Field.

Lesley pitching held Mitchell to only one run on seven hits on the day. Sarah Bushman tossed a one-hit shutout in the opener and struck out 10 to earn her first win of the season. Alyson Nisbet also secured her first win in the nightcap, going the distance and allowing one run on six hits while fanning three.

The Lynx piled up 25 combined hits that included five apiece for both Allyson Murphy and Courtney Goggin. Murphy homered and drove in three in the doubleheader while Goggin had a pair of doubles and plated one.

Mitchell (7-8 overall, 3-3 NECC), which entered the day with a five-game winning streak, will next host Regis College on Saturday, April 8 at noon. Lesley (3-11 overall, 2-0 NECC) returns to action at home against Eastern Nazarene College on Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m.

Game 1 – Lesley 4, Mitchell 0

Lesley grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third inning on RBI singles by Carlyn Barker and Murphy. The Lynx added another in the fourth as Barker, Murphy and Goggin all supplied two-out singles, and the final run of the contest came courtesy of an RBI single by Abby Henderson in the sixth. 

A leadoff single by Danielle Autieri in the second inning was the only hit that Bushman surrendered. Three of her five walks came in the third inning and gave Mitchell its best chance of getting back into the game, but the Lynx secured two quick outs to leave the bases loaded.

Taylor Duchesneau went the distance for the Mariners, allowing four runs (three earned) on 12 hits while striking out three. 

Game 2 – Lesley 10, Mitchell 1

Lesley finished with eight extra-base hits in the nightcap—including homers by Mekenzi Golden, Henderson and Murphy—to complete the sweep. Murphy and Goggin each had three hits in the game while Jordan Raab added a pair.

A sacrifice fly by Nisbet put Lesley on the board in the second inning, and a solo homer by Golden made it 2-0 in the third. Raab's double in the fourth plated a pair of runs, and the Lynx later broke the game open with a six-run seventh inning. Lesley sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame, with Henderson providing a three-run bomb to left-center and Murphy following with a two-run shot to center.

Mitchell's lone run came in the sixth. Samantha DelConte led off with a triple and scored on a single up the middle by Megan Elphick. Both players finished with a pair of hits in the game to lead the Mariners.

Duchesneau (5-7 overall) got the starting nod once again and allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits.