Elms Sweeps Softball
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team dropped a doubleheader to Elms College on Saturday afternoon by final scores of 6-3 and 5-3.
The Blazers pounded out 11 hits in each game and benefitted from a combined six Mitchell fielding errors on the day. Destinee Meeker and Courtney Hampton each picked up wins inside the circle for Elms, which improved to 14-10 overall and 8-0 in NECC play. Mitchell dropped to 8-14 overall and 5-3 in league play.
Mitchell will next host Daniel Webster College for a doubleheader on Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
Game One – Elms 6, Mitchell 3
The Blazers drew first blood thanks to a two-out RBI single by Alexandra Bonavita in the first inning. Elms then tacked on three more runs in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Allyson Witaszek started the rally with a leadoff single and later scored on a ball put into play by Isaira Caraballo. Alison McBride followed with a RBI single to center, and Jenna Lipscomb capped the scoring with a ground out to third.
Bonavita picked up her second RBI of the game in the fifth to put the Blazers up 5-0. The Mariners got back into the game in the sixth when sophomore Tiffany Person cleared the bases with a double to plate three runs and cut the deficit to 5-3.
Bonavita delivered another RBI single in the seventh to add an insurance run for the Blazers. She finished 2-for-4 with three RBI in the game. The margin was enough for Meeker, who struck out two batters in the seventh to improve to 8-5 overall on the season. Meeker allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out seven in 7.0 innings.
Junior Marissa Thomas took the loss for the Mariners, dropping to 5-6 overall on the year. She allowed six runs (four earned) on 11 hits and struck out three.
Game Two – Elms 5, Mitchell 3
Mitchell grabbed the lead in the second game behind a two-run homer by sophomore Meghan Burke in the third inning, her second long ball of the season. Elms answered right back in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2 with RBI singles from Lipscomb and Rachel Butt.
Hampton helped her own cause in the fifth, snapping the tie with a two-out double and later scoring on another Mitchell miscue to put the Blazers in front 4-2. The Mariners shot back with a run in the bottom of the frame on a RBI single to left by junior Stacey Suplicki but stranded the tying run at second base.
Elms pushed across an insurance run in the seventh on a triple by Caraballo that scored Jessica Cockshaw. Hampton then retired the Mariners in the home half of the inning to improve to 6-5 overall on the season. She allowed three runs on six hits in 7.0 innings and struck out six.
Freshman Tricia Tomaselli pitched for the Mariners and allowed five runs (three earned) on 11 hits in 7.0 innings. She struck out six and walked three and dropped to 3-8 overall on the year.
Both Hampton and Butt each finished with three hits for the Blazers. Junior Brittany Zaccaria had a pair of hits to lead the Mariners.