Softball Comes Up Short in Season Opener

NAPLES, Fla. – The Mitchell College softball team opened up their 2023 season by dropping both games of a double header at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Saturday, falling 9-0 to Western Connecticut State University and 7-6 to John Jay College.

The Mariners managed just four hits in the opener, while the Wolves scored two runs in each of the final four innings of a game cut short due to the mercy rule. In the second game, Mitchell built a 5-0 lead before watching as the Bulldogs stormed back to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh.

The Mariners (0-2 overall) will not have to wait long for a chance to bounce back, with a doubleheader scheduled for Sunday, March 11, against SUNY Delhi at 11:00 am and SUNY Brockport at 3:00 pm.

Game 1 - Western Connecticut 9, Mitchell 0

The Mariners fell behind early in their season opener, as Alexis Resto drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single to right field in the top of the first. Mitchell was never able to recover, as the Wolves pounded out 11 hits and took advantage of five errors to score two runs in the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings. Sophomore Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.) went 2-2 at the plate, while Gemma Landry (Lewiston, M.E.) and Jenna Bennett (Shelton, Conn.) collected the other two hits. Katelyn Lipsky got the start in the circle and earned the loss, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs across five innings of work. 

Isabella Pincince went 4-4 at the dish for Western Connecticut and drove in a team-best three runs. Olivia Bordenaro picked up her first win of the season, keeping the Mariner bats at bay by scattering three hits in three and two third innings of work. 

Game 2 - John Jay 7, Mitchell 6

The Mitchell bats came alive in the second game of the day, as Hannah Lemke (East Haddam, Conn.) drove in the first run of the season on a bunt single in the top of the second. Reynolds followed with an RBI groundout in the top of the third, before the Mariners plated three more runs in the top of the fourth; the first on an RBI single by Lemke, and two more on an RBI single to centerfield off the bat of Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.). A series of errors plagued the Mariners in the bottom half of the fifth inning and allowed the Bulldogs to roar back to life. John Jay used four hits and three errors to tie the score at 5-5, where it would remain until Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth, R.I.) belted a double in the top of the seventh, scoring Landry. In the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs used an RBI double by Jailene Santiago and another Mitchell error to plate two runs, earning their third victory of the season.   

Santiago earned the win by tossing a complete game, allowing only two earned runs and seven hits. Emily Reynolds got the start for Mitchell and allowed 13 hits and three earned runs.