Softball Takes One of Two at Becker

LEICESTER, Mass. -- The Mitchell College softball team picked up a split at Becker College on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action at Russell Field, falling 3-0 in the opener before bouncing back for a 4-3 win in the nightcap. 

The Hawks finished their regular season at 19-15 with a 12-4 record against NECC opponents, and they'll await word of their fate in the upcoming NECC Championship. The Mariners are now 13-19 with an 8-6 record against conference foes. Mitchell will conclude its regular season against Newbury College on Monday, April 30. 

In the first game, Becker's Samantha Lee pitched 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight Mariners. Lee also delivered with her bat, as in the bottom of the first inning she launched a three-run shot far over the left field fence, her seventh home run of the season and the 100th hit of her career. Samantha Belenchia and Sarah Ellis both scored on that dinger, and that would prove to be all the offense the hosts would need.

Pitcher Shyla Phillips-Krick allowed just two hits in 6.0 innings for the Mariners. Samantha DelConte went 2-for-3 at the plate and accounted for all of Mitchell's offense.

In the second game, the Hawks went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Rebecca Carkhuff had an RBI groundout to score Ellis from third. In the top of the third, Mitchell tied the game on an RBI double from Italia Krick followed by an RBI single from Taylor Duchesneau to put the Mariners up 2-1.

Becker tied it in the bottom of the third, as Megan Klemanchuck singled through the left side to score Jennifer Boxell. In the top of the fourth, a costly Becker error allowed Laurissa Amaker and Stephanie Adams to score, putting the visitors up 4-2.

In the bottom of the seventh and down to its last three outs, Becker put a runner on thanks to a pinch-hit single by Shannon Lundy. Boxell then reached on an error, putting runners on second and third with no outs. After Ellis flied out to shallow left, Carkhuff singled through the left side to score Lundy from third. After a Carkhuff steal put runners at second and third with one out, Duchesneau struck out Klemanchuck and got Brianna Herforth to fly out to left to end the game.

Duchesneau pitched all 7.0 innings and scattered nine hits, allowing three runs (two earned) while striking out eight. She improved to 7-8 on the season.