Softball Rallies for Split at Elms
CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Mitchell College softball team split a doubleheader at Elms College on Sunday in a a pair of tight New England Collegiate Conference matchups at Cheryl R. Condon Field.
The Mariners lost 3-2 in the opener before bouncing back for an 8-5 win to wrap up the day. Mitchell scored four runs in the top of the seventh to rally for their first NECC victory of the season.
Mitchell (2-10 overall, 1-1 NECC) will next play at St. Joseph (Conn.) College on Wednesday, March 30 at 3 p.m.
Game 1: Elms 3, Mitchell 2
After a scoreless first inning, the Blazers came out swinging in the second and secured three runs on four hits. The stint started with a Kacey Gifford single to center followed by an Elizabeth Olszewski single to the right side. With two runners on base, Tessa Cote doubled to drive in a pair of runs, and Keyla Oliveras followed with an RBI single to give the Blazers a 3-0 lead.
The Mariners responded with a single run in the third after Samantha DelConte singled to second and later scored on a throwing error. The Blazers held the Mariners to one until the top of the sixth when Brittany Fiederlein singled to start things off. Nia Brown then reached second on another Elms throwing error, allowing Fiederlein to score to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Cote set the Mariners down in order in the seventh to secure the win, improving to 3-5 on the season inside the circle. Fiederlein took the loss for the Mariners but struck out five over 6.0 innings.
Game 2: Mitchell 8, Elms 5
Elms went up 1-0 in the first inning before Mitchell tied the game in the second. DelConte reached base via a walk and advanced to third on a single by Taylor Duchesneau. DelConte then stole home for Mitchell's first run of the game.
Elms put up two runs in the bottom of the third after Gifford singled and Kierstan Skinner followed with her first home run of the season. Mitchell was once again quick to pull even, producing two runs in the top of the fourth. DelConte and Fiederlein both scored on a single by Janelle Rice.
Rice delivered another big hit in the sixth to give Mitchell its first lead of the day. After DelConte set the table with a one-out double, Rice followed with a single up the middle to plate the go-ahead run.
Elms fought back with two runs in the home half of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. However, the Mariners came out swinging in the seventh and pushed across four runs. Danielle Autieri got things rolling with a one-out double, and Shannon O'Neil followed with a single to left-center to tie the game. DelConte later ripped a two-out double down the left field line to put Mitchell ahead for good, and Duchesneau and Rice each tacked on RBI singles for added insurance.
Fiederlein (2-5 overall) gave up a leadoff single to Elms in the seventh but retired the next three batters to nail down the win. She scattered 10 hits over 7.0 innings and struck out three while allowing five runs.