Softball Takes Two from Lesley in Conference Twin Bill

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team improved their record to 9-1 in New England Collegiate Conference play by sweeping a doubleheader against Lesley University on Saturday afternoon, 8-0 in the opener and 9-1 in the second game.

Junior Katelyn Lipsky was dominant in game one, tossing a six-inning complete game one-hitter, striking out five Lynx along the way. Sophomore Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.) took to the circle in the nightcap and pitched the Mariners to victory, surrendering just one run across five-innings of work, allowing just three hits and striking out four. Junior Hailey Hill (Griswold, Conn.) came out of the bullpen in relief of Reynolds and worked a perfect top of the sixth before Mitchell walked ended things on a walk off in the bottom half of the sixth for the second game in a row.

The Mariners (19-15 overall, 9-1 NECC) are back in action on Tuesday, April 25, when they host Salve Regina University for a non-conference doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm.

Game 1 – Mitchell 8, Lesley 0

After both teams matched scoreless frames over the first two innings, the Mariners broke through in the bottom of the third, scoring a pair of runs on an RBI single by Brooke Whitmarsh and a sacrifice fly by Jenna Bennett (Shelton, Conn.). Mitchell plated four more runs the following inning, with Gemma Landry (Lewiston, M.E.), Emma LaBreck (Rollinsford, N.H.), and Madison Nicynski (Warwick, R.I.) each collecting RBI doubles, while Whitmarsh slugged a run scoring triple to right field. The Mariners added one more run in the fifth, before Nicynski scored Cassandra Roman (New London, Conn.) in the bottom of the sixth, ending the game due to the run rule.

Whitmarsh finished 4-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Landry and Nicynski had two hits apiece in the win.

Samantha Mecklenburg took the loss for Lesley, tossing five innings of seven run ball. Mahlia Medina tallied the lone hit for the Lynx in the loss.

Game 2 – Mitchell 9, Lesley 1

It was the Lynx who drew first blood in the second game, as the visiting team jumped ahead in the top of the first on an RBI single off the bat of Antonia Kieran. Nicynski drove in a run for the Mariners in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game and then gave Mitchell the lead in the third with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Six runs came across to score in the bottom of the fourth for the Mariners, who broke the game open on a Lynx error and RBI base hits by Whitmarsh, Bennett, and Brooke Taylor (Montville, Conn.). Taylor then came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded and delivered a line drive single to center field, scoring Nicynski and ending the game early due once again to the run rule.

Taylor finished 3-3 with two RBI and a run scored, while Landry had two hits and two runs and Jenna Bennett was 2-3.

Sophia Santos gave up eight earned runs in five innings for Lesley, while Tara Eldredge and Mahlia Medina also had base hits in the loss.