Softball Swept by Wesleyan at Home

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Mitchell College dropped a pair of non-conference softball games to Wesleyan University at home on Tuesday afternoon, falling by final scores of 11-3 and 9-8.

The Cardinals (10-12 overall) finished with 22 hits in the doubleheader, with Hannah Docktor going 6-for-8 with a pair of doubles and two RBI to lead the way. Wesleyan also received two quality pitching performances from their starters, as Kelly Baker and Bella Secaira-Cotto both came away with victories.

Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth, R.I.) and Emma LaBreck (Rollinsford, N.H.) each supplied four hits to pace the Mariners.

Mitchell (10-8 overall, 1-1 NECC) will look to rebound when they host Trinity College in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, April 5.

Game 1 – Wesleyan 11, Mitchell 3

The Mariners fell behind early and were never able to recover after an RBI double by Docktor and an RBI triple by Molly Lennon put the Cardinals ahead 2-0 in the top of the first. Wesleyan would score two more runs in the top of the third off Mitchell starter Katelyn Lipsky (Plantsville, Conn.), who took the loss after surrendering eight hits and four earned runs across four innings of work.

Mitchell scored their first run of the game on an RBI groundout by Whitmarsh in the fourth inning, then added another on a LaBreck RBI single in the sixth which made it a 5-2 ballgame. A nightmare bottom half of the sixth spoiled any hopes for a comeback, however, as multiple Mitchell errors aided in Wesleyan plating six runs to pull comfortably ahead.

Kelly Baker went the distance for the Cardinals, working seven innings of four hit ball, allowing just two earned runs and striking out four, picking up her second victory of the spring.

Game 2 – Wesleyan 9, Mitchell 8

The Mariners wasted no time setting the tone in the second game of the twin bill, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second inning on a base hit by Whitmarsh and an RBI double off the bat of Olivia DeCicco (Haverhill, Mass.). Wesleyan eventually responded with a pair of runs in the fourth, scoring on a passed ball and an RBI groundout against Mitchell starter Emily Reynolds.

The Cardinals broke open the game in the top of the fifth inning, pushing across seven runs against Reynolds and DeCicco, who entered the game in relief, highlighted by a bases clearing double by Isabella Secaira-Cotta. The Mariners got two back when LaBreck drove home Gemma Landry (Lewiston, ME) and Lola Worsdale (Stonington, Conn.) in the bottom half of the sixth, but still trailed 9-6 entering the final inning.

With darkness descending, the Mitchell bats refused to go quietly, as LaBreck hit an RBI double to make it 9-7 before a Cardinal error allowed another Mariner to score, trimming the deficit to one. With the tying run at third base and the winning run in the batter's box, the Mitchell rally fell short, however, as Madison Nicynski grounded out to first base to end the ballgame.

Secaira-Cotto picked up the win for Wesleyan, giving up three earned runs across five innings of work before Brooklin Williams threw two innings out of the bullpen for her first save of the season.