Softball Takes Two from Lyndon State
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team swept a doubleheader from Lyndon State College by final scores of 8-0 and 10-8 on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Senior Marissa Thomas and sophomore Tricia Tomaselli picked up wins in the circle for the Mariners (3-8 overall). Junior Meghan Burke and freshman Dylan Riccardi each finished with four hits on the day to lead the Mitchell offense.
Jena Finnegan was one of three Hornets with three hits in the doubleheader. She finished 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored in the second game.
Mitchell will next play at Johnson & Wales University (RI) on Wednesday, March 28 at 3:30 p.m. Lyndon State (6-8 overall) returns to action at the University of Maine at Farmington on Saturday, March 31 at 2 p.m.
Game 1 – Mitchell 8, Lyndon State 0 (6 innings)
Mitchell took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double by Burke and led by that same margin heading into the sixth inning. Lyndon State's Ashley Barski led off the frame with a base hit and later moved into scoring position with two outs. Meghan Gadapee followed with a grounder up the middle, but senior second baseman Nikki Hoxie made a diving stop in the hole and threw the runner out from her knees to save a run and end the threat.
Mitchell carried the momentum into the bottom of the sixth and scored seven runs to invoke the mercy rule. Burke, who went 4-for-4 in the contest, led off with a homer to center. The Mariners then piled on six more runs, including two that scored on a double by Riccardi. The game ended following an RBI single by senior Stacey Suplicki that scored freshman Lindsey Romagnino.
Thomas took care of business in the circle, limiting the Hornets to only four hits over six innings. She also struck out two and walked one to post her first shutout of the season.
Gadapee took the loss for Lyndon State. She pitched 5.2 innings and allowed eight runs on 13 hits while striking out two.
Game 2 – Mitchell 10, Lyndon State 8
Lyndon State jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to an RBI single by Gadapee in the first inning and tacked on five more runs in the second. Finnegan delivered the big blow in the rally, clearing the bases with a three-run double to center field. Gadapee followed with another RBI single to extend the lead to 6-0.
Mitchell answered back with two runs in the home half of the second. Riccardi put the Mariners on the board with an RBI single that scored Suplicki, and Hoxie also scored on the play following a throwing error.
The Hornets scored two more runs in the third to take an 8-2 lead. Barski singled to drive in a run and later scored on a wild pitch.
Mitchell drew back-to-back walks to start the third inning, igniting a four-run rally that cut the deficit to two at 8-6. Hoxie and Riccardi both had RBI singles in the frame, and the Mariners also scored a pair of runners from third base on wild pitches.
Mitchell plated another run in the fourth and took the lead for good behind a three-run fifth inning. Sophomore Chelsea Arpin brought in a run with a fielder's choice to tie the game at 8-8, and the Mariners took their first lead when Riccardi scored from third base on a wild pitch. Junior Tiffany Person later added an insurance run with a one-out single to score Arpin.
Tomaselli did not allow a run in 4.1 innings of stellar relief and gave up only three hits while striking out two. Lyndon State starter Katie Davis gave up 10 runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings in the loss.