Slow Start Costs Softball vs. RIC

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Rhode Island College softball team picked up a 14-4 victory in six innings at Mitchell College on Friday afternoon in non-league action.

Amber Wainwright went 2-for-4 with a homer and five RBI to lead the Anchorwomen at the plate. Alexis Boyce also had a pair of hits and knocked in three runs as RIC racked up 12 hits in the contest. Starting pitcher Caitlin Lopez earned her first win of the season, allowing one run on three hits over 4.0 innings of work.

Nene Capeles and Sydney Oatway combined for five of Mitchell's six hits and each finished with a double. Capeles also knocked in a pair of runs.

RIC pounced on Mitchell starter Hailey Hill early, striking for five runs before a single out was recorded. Wainwright provided the big blow with a grand slam as the Anchorwomen built a 6-0 lead before the Mariners even stepped to the plate.

Mitchell trailed 8-1 in the fifth but pushed across three runs to close the gap. Capeles singled up the middle to plate two runners and later scored on an error to make it an 8-4 game.

RIC responded with six runs on six hits in the sixth to pad the lead. Boyce knocked in the first run with a double to left-center, and Wainwright followed with an RBI single. Faith Turinese, Ashley Armstrong and Julie Vincent also drove in runs in the frame, which left RIC with a 14-4 lead. Reliever Tatiana Burcy then retired the Mariners in order to give the Anchorwomen their first win of the season.

Mitchell (2-5 overall) will next host the University of Saint Joseph on Tuesday, March 30 at 3 p.m. Rhode Island College (1-4 overall) returns to action at home against the University of Southern Maine on Friday, April 2 at 2 p.m.