Softball Swept by Becker

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Becker College softball team picked up 11-2 and 18-0 wins over Mitchell College on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference play at Alumni Field.

The Hawks exploded for 29 runs on 32 hits in the doubleheader, led by a 7-for-7 day by Samantha Belenchia. She finished with a double and a home run to go with five RBI and two runs scored. She also pitched the second game and allowed only four hits over 5.0 scoreless innings. 

Between games, the Mariners honored seniors Nia Brown and Imani Mays in a special ceremony.

Mitchell (7-18 overall, 3-11 NECC) will next host Southern Vermont College on Sunday, April 23 at noon. Becker (14-14 overall, 8-2 NECC) returns to action at Lesley University on Sunday at noon.

Game 1 – Becker 11, Mitchell 2 (5 innings)

The teams traded runs in the first inning as the Hawks took the initial lead on an RBI single to left field by Vasia Murphy. The Mariners responded as Samantha DelConte led off with a walk, stole second and later scored on an error.

Mitchell took a 2-1 lead in the third as DelConte once again reached via the walk. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a ground out before eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

Becker claimed the lead for good behind a seven-run fourth inning. Belenchia led off the frame with a homer to left field to tie the score at 2-2, and a two-out RBI single by Rebecca Carkhuff put the Hawks in front. The two-out rally continued as Murphy added a two-run double and Ashley Ciepiela plated a pair with a single to left. Belenchia added her second RBI of the inning to cap the scoring as Becker led 8-2.

The Hawks tacked on three more runs in the fifth to pad the lead. Samantha Lee then set the Mariners down in order in the home half to secure the win. She allowed only two runs (one earned) on three hits and struck out six over 5.0 innings.

Taylor Duchesneau took the loss for the Mariners, surrendering 11 runs on 16 hits while striking out two. She also had one of Mitchell's three hits at the plate.

Game 2 –Becker 18, Mitchell 0 (5 innings)

Becker scored four runs in the first inning, added two in both the second and fourth, and capped things off with 10-run rally in the fifth to sweep the series. A total of 10 Hawks finished with a hit in the contest, led by four from Belenchia.

Ciepiela put Becker on the board with a two-run single in the first, and Belenchia followed with an RBI single while Jennifer Boxell added an RBI double. Lee and Murphy each doubled home runs in the second to make it 6-0, and Megan Klemanchuck blasted a two-run homer in the fourth to expand the margin.

The Hawks sent 15 batters to the plate in the big fifth inning, scoring all 10 of their runs with two outs on the board. Mitchell starter Suzanne Vachon didn't make it out of the frame, as Duchesneau came in to record the final out.