Softball Sweeps on Final Day of Spring Break

NAPLES, Fla. – The Mitchell College softball team wrapped up their spring break trip to Florida on Thursday, sweeping their final two games at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, defeating Alfred State University 4-2 then Nazareth College 5-3.

The Mariners battled back for the victory in the opener, riding the arm of Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.) and taking advantage of four Pioneer errors. Reynolds, a sophomore, improved to 2-2 on the season after tossing a seven-inning complete game, allowing no earned runs while striking out nine. Game number two belonged to junior Katelyn Lipsky (Plantsville, Conn.), who improved her pitching record to 4-1 with seven scoreless innings.

The Mariners (7-3 overall) return to action on Saturday, March 25, when they host conference foe New England College for a doubleheader.  

Game 1 – Mitchell 4, Alfred St. 2

The Mariners rode the arm of their sophomore starter in the first outting of their twin bill. Reynolds tossed a complete game, allowing no earned runs while racking up nine strikeouts. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third, when the Pioneers plated the first run on an RBI single by Nicole Youngberg.

The Mariners eventually tied the game when Hannah Lemke (East Haddam, Conn.) drove in Madison Nicynski on an Alfred error. Mitchell scored again the following inning on another Pioneer error, before Jenna Bennett (Shelton, Conn.) and Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.) each drove in runs to give the Mariners insurance.

Game 2 – Mitchell 5, Nazareth College 3

The Mariners played from behind early in the second game of the day, tying the score on a Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth, R.I.) single in the bottom of the first, before taking the lead for good when Whitmarsh singled up the middle in the bottom of the third.

Gemma Landry (Lewiston, M.E.) and Hannah Lemke each recorded three hits in the win. Landry added two RBI and Lemke two runs scored, while Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.) also finished 2-3 with a pair of run and Whitmarsh drove in three. Lipsky was dominant in the circle, tossing her second shutout and striking out eight Nazareth batters.