Softball Splits at Lesley
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Mitchell College softball team split a pair of games at Lesley University on Thursday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference play at Buckingham Field.
The Mariners held on to win the opener by an 8-7 final before dropping the nightcap in 8-4 in six innings (game called due to darkness). Mitchell (5-17, 4-4 NECC) handed Lesley (10-10-, 7-1 NECC) its first conference loss of the season.
Mitchell will next host Newbury College on Saturday, April 16 at noon.
Game 1 - Mitchell 8, Lesley 7
Mitchell fell behind 2-0 in the first inning but took the lead with three runs in the second, highlighted by an RBI single by Nia Brown. After Lesley tied the game in the bottom of the frame, the Mariners added three more runs in the third to go up 6-3. Brown delivered another RBI single Brittany Fiederlein (single) and Suzanne Vachon (walk) also plated runs.
The Lynx scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the deficit to one before Mitchell put up two more runs in the sixth. Shannon O'Neil and Danielle Autieri each contributed RBI singles in the frame as the lead increased to 8-5.
The extra runs were needed as the Lynx scored two in the bottom of the seventh. The Lynx had the tying run in scoring position with only one out, but Fiederlein retired the next two batters to slam the door. She improved to 5-9 on the season with the win, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits over 7.0 innings.
Game 2 - Lesley 8, Mitchell 4 (6 innings)
Lesley jumped ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first only to see Mitchell respond with a three-run third inning. Autieri plated the first run with a double to left-center while Jenny Groman and Janelle Rice followed with RBI singles.
Lesley answered with a run in the home half of the third, but Mitchell matched that in the fourth thanks to a double by Fiederlein that scored Samantha DelConte. Trailing 4-2, the Lynx tied the game with two runs in the fifth and then plated four in the sixth to seize control. The game never made it to the seventh inning as it was called due to darkness.
Taylor Duchesneau took the loss in relief, surrendering six runs (two earned) on seven hits through 2.1 innings of work. Fiederlein got the starting nod but was replaced in the fourth before re-entering to pitch in the sixth. She allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in 3.2 innings.
DelConte, O'Neil, Groman and Rice each finished with two hits in the contest.