Softball Splits with Rivier on Senior Day
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader with Rivier University on Saturday afternoon, while also honoring their five senior student athletes on Senior Day.
The Mariners rode the arm of senior Katelyn Lipsky (Plantsville, Conn.) to a 6-1 win in the opener, before falling 3-1 in the second game to split the twin bill against their opponent from the GNAC North Division. Lipsky, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, tossed a complete game two-hitter, allowing just one run and four walks, striking out nine.
Prior to the game, the Mariners honored their five seniors; Lipsky, Jenna Bennett (Shelton, Conn.), Hannah Lemke (East Haddam, Conn.), Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.), and Hailey Hill (Griswold, Conn.)
The Mariners (15-17, 11-5 GNAC, 10-2 Division) will wrap up their regular season with a pivotal conference divisional doubleheader at Lasell University on Sunday, April 28th. The Raiders (15-15, 10-4 GNAC, 6-4 Division) conclude their regular season with two games at home against Saint Joseph's College (ME) on Sunday, April 28th.
Game 1 – Mitchell 6, Rivier 1
Lipsky held the Raider bats at bay in the opening game of the day and had not given up a hit before Olivia Couto singled to lead off the top of the seventh. She was given support by her offense early on, as junior Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth, R.I.) and sophomore Olivia DeCicco (Haverhill, Mass.) both recorded run scoring base hits in the top of the first, which proved to be all the support Lipsky needed.
Juniors Gemma Landry (Lewiston, ME) and Emma LaBreck (Rollinsford, N.H.) had three hits and one RBI apiece, while Whitmarsh drove in a team-high two runs, and sophomore Cassandra Roman (New London, Conn.) hit a solo inside the park home run during a three-run sixth inning.
Courtney Marioles surrendered 14 hits and six runs to pick up the loss for Rivier.
Game 2 – Rivier 3, Mitchell 1
Christina Panagiotopoulos drove in two runs in the first inning of the second game for Rivier to give the visiting squad an early lead.
Hailey Hill laced an RBI single in the bottom of the second to make it a one run game, but Rivier starting pitcher Hailey Berube settled down and did not allow another run. Berube went the distance for the Raiders, scattering seven hits and one walk, striking out two.
Cassandra Roman had a team-best two hits for Mitchell, including a triple, while Whitmarsh and LaBreck both had doubles.