Strong Pitching & Timely Hitting Powers Softball Over Salve

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team picked up a pair of non-conference victories at home on Tuesday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader against Salve Regina University 4-3 then 6-1.

A pair of strong pitching performances powered the Mariners, who reached the 20-win milestone for the first time since the 2012 season and just the third time in the Division III era of the program.

Junior Katelyn Lipsky (Plantsville, Conn.) tossed a gem in the opening game against the Seahawks, working a seven-inning complete game, allowing just two earned runs while striking out seven. The Mariners used some late inning heroics to battle back after Salve took a two run lead in the top of the seventh, as Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.) came through with a walk-off single in the bottom half of the inning.

Sophomore Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.) took to the circle in the nightcap and held the Seahawk bats at bay, working a seven-inning complete game, surrendering just six hits and one run while striking out three. That proved more than enough to earn the win, as the Mitchell offense plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.

The Mariners (21-15 overall, 9-1 NECC) will return to action on Thursday, April 27, for their final home doubleheader of the regular season when they host Purchase College.

Game 1 – Mitchell 4, Salve Regina 3

Pitching was the name of the game in the opener, with Mitchell's Lipsky and Skylar Wicklund of Salve matching scoreless frames across the first three innings. The Mariners scored the first run of the game in the fourth, when Madison Nicynski (Warwick, R.I.) drove home a run with an RBI single to second base. It remained a one run game until the top of the seventh, when the Seahawks soared ahead by two following RBI singles by Christina Braid and Maddie Capetta.

The Mariners were able to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame when Hannah Lemke (East Haddam, Conn.) laced a two-run single to center field and advanced to second on the throw home. After Lemke advanced to third on a fly out, Aviles delivered a walk-off single to right field, giving Mitchell their 20th victory of the season.

Nicynski led the home team at the plate, going 2-3 with an RBI and Lemke drove in a team-high two runs. Emma LaBreck (Rollinsford, N.H.) went 1-3 with a double and a run scored, while Olivia DeCicco (Haverhill, Mass.) went 1-3 with a triple and a run scored.

Skylar Wicklund took the loss for Salve, pitching six and two third innings, allowing four runs, three of them earned, while giving up nine hits and striking out two.

Game 2 – Mitchell 6, Salve Regina 1

Starting pitching dominated the beginning of the second game as well, as Emily Reynolds of Mitchell and Caroline Peterson of Salve matched each other over three scoreless innings. Peterson struggled with control issues, however, walking seven Mariners on the day. Two of those walks came with the bases loaded in the fourth innings, allowing Mitchell to jump ahead 2-0.

Francesca Rubino was able to get one run back for the Seahawks in the fifth, lacing an RBI single to right field to score Maddie Capetta, who had reached on an error moments earlier. With just one out in the fifth folloing the RBI single, Salve was threatening with runners on second and third and just one out. Reynolds dug deep though, striking out the next batter and inducing a groundout to work her way out of trouble.

A wild pitch followed by a passed ball allowed Mitchell to plate two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and the Mariners added two runs in the seventh, highlighted by an RBI double off the bat of sophomore Gemma Landry (Lewiston, M.E.).

For the second game in a row, Olivia DeCicco hit a triple for the home team, while Landry, Lemke, and freshman Cassandra Roman (New London, Conn.) each collected RBI in the win.

Caroline Peterson was the losing pitcher, allowing six runs, four earned, and walking seven across six innings.