Softball Drops Doubleheader to Lesley

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College dropped a softball doubleheader to Lesley University by final scores of 5-0 and 7-5 on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action at Alumni Field.

Jordan Day tossed a shutout in the opener and recorded a save in the nightcap to lead the Lynx. She also combined for five hits and a pair of RBI in the doubleheader as Lesley improved to 15-9 overall (4-2 NECC).

Madison Nicynski went 3-for-6 with two doubles and an RBI to pace the Mariners (7-10 overall, 0-4 NECC). Suzanne Vachon also collected two hits in the twin bill, including the 100th of her collegiate career.

Mitchell will next play at Elms College on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. Lesley returns to action at UMass Boston on Thursday, April 11 at 3:30 p.m.

Game 1 – Lesley 5, Mitchell 0

After going up 1-0 in the third inning, Lesley broke the game open with a three-run fifth. Day knocked in the first run with a single to center to make it 2-0, and a costly Mitchell error resulted in two more runs to double the margin. A sacrifice fly by Mahlia Medina in the seventh gave the Lynx their final run of the contest.

Day wouldn't need the extra run support as she held the Mariners to just four hits while striking out 11. She improved to 7-5 on the season.

Mitchell starter Taylor Duchesneau allowed five runs (two earned) on five hits and fanned five, dropping to 3-6 on the year.

Game 2 – Lesley 7, Mitchell 5

The game was scoreless until Lesley put up four runs in the top of the third. Day plated the first run with a double to left-center, and two batters later Ilana Zack knocked in two more with a single to center. Stephanie Schofield capped the rally with an RBI single to left to make it 4-0.

Mitchell fired back with three runs in the home half of the third. A two-out single by Nicynski got things started, and after a walk to Sydney Oatway, Alex Lopez brought in a run with a single to center. Kaitlin Thibodeau-Corey then followed with a base hit to right-center to drive in two more runs to cut the deficit to one at 4-3.

A lead-off double by Lindsey Jensen was the catalyst for a three-run Lesley sixth inning. Riley Pickett brought her home with a single through the left side, and then Day doubled to give the Lynx runners at second and third with one out. Vachon almost got the Mariners out of the inning without further damage, but an error resulted in two more Lesley runs and made it a 7-3 game.

Mitchell fought until the final out, scoring a pair of runs in the seventh to tighten the gap. An RBI single by Oatway pulled the Mariners within two and brought the winning run to the plate. However, the Lynx turned to Day for a two-out save, and she got a fly ball and strikeout to end the game.

Lesley starter Jen Thorburn allowed three runs on four hits and struck out three in the no-decision. Kara Haga picked up the win in relief, evening her season record at 2-2. She allowed two runs on four hits over 3.1 innings.

Vachon (4-4 overall) went the distance for Mitchell and gave up seven runs (four earned) on 13 hits.