
Softball Swept in Monday Road Doubleheader
NASHUA, N.H. – The Mitchell College softball team suffered a pair of defeats in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Monday evening against Rivier University, falling 7-6 in the opener, before the Raiders ran away with a 14-7 victory in game two.
The Mariners (10-17-1, 5-9 GNAC) return home for a pair of GNAC South Division games on Wednesday, April 16, which will also serve as Senior Day. The Raiders (10-12, 4-2 GNAC) travel to face the Wentworth Institute of Technology in non-league action on Wednesday, April 16.
Game 1 – Rivier 7, Mitchell 6
After the Raiders opened up a 5-0 lead in the opening game of the day, the Mariners answered back with four runs in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Brooke Clancy (East Haven, Conn.) plated the first Mitchell run with a two-out bases loaded walk, before a Rivier error and a two run single by junior Cassandra Roman (New London, Conn.) made it a one-run game.
The Mariners then knotted the score the next inning when senior Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth R.I.) reached on an error and advanced to second, before scampering home on a single up the middle by fellow senior Christina Housely (Norfolk, VA). Mitchell then took a lead in the top of the seventh on a RBI single off the bat of junior Kaylee Drago (Danbury, Conn.), but the Raiders punched back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, walking it off on a two-out run scoring base hit by Sophia Quinlan.
Roman led the Mariners with three hits and two RBI. Housley and senior Gemma Landry (Lewiston, ME) each had a pair of hits, while Whitmarsh tripled. Senior Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.) allowed 11 hits and seven runs across six and two third innings of work.
Olivia Couto and Avry Nelson drove in two runs apiece for Rivier, while Hayley Rapaglia had three hits in four at bats. Courtney Marioles was the winning pitcher, tossing seven innings and allowing four earned runs.
Game 2 – Rivier 14, Mitchell 7
The Mariners pounced in game two and scored four in the top of the first, as Brooke Whitmarsh, Christina Housley, and freshman Nadya Hudson (Milwaukee, WI) each drove in runs. The Raiders responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame, before adding two more in the second.
Kaylee Drago doubled to left field with one out in the third, knotting the score 5-5, and Brooke Clancy followed that up by driving in Drago with a single to left center, pushing the Mariners on top by one. Rivier plated one run in the bottom of the third to once again draw things even, but senior Emma LaBreck (Rollinsford, N.H.) drove in a run with two down in the fourth, giving the Mariners a 7-6 edge.
Rivier's Hannah Muchemore belted a solo home run to tie the game at 7-7 with one out in the bottom of the fourth, and the Raiders would close the game with seven more unanswered runs, including three in the fifth and four more in the sixth.
Gemma Landry, Emma LaBreck, and Kaylee Drago each doubled in the loss for the Mariners, while Christina Housley drove in a team-high two runs. Senior Katelynn Goodman (Virginia Beach, VA) was charged with the loss after giving up nine runs in four innings of work.
Muchemore finished 3-4 with two doubles, one home run, five RBI, and two runs scored for Rivier. Hailey Berube improved her record to 5-6 on the spring, working seven innings in the circle, allowing seven runs.