Mitchell Falls to Lesley in Inaugural NECC Softball Championship

BOSTON, Mass. - The Mitchell College softball team lost two games to Lesley University on Sunday, and the wins earned the Lesley Lynx the inaugural 2009 New England Collegiate Conference Softball Championship.  The title marks the second conference championship in a row that the Lynx have won, as they defeated Mitchell College in the finals.

NECC Championship Game One - Mitchell College 1, Lesley University 3

Despite giving up an early run in the top of the first inning, the Lynx rebounded to score three unanswered runs to force a deciding championship game with Mitchell.  In the 3-1 victory, Lesley pitcher Alicia Burnett (Gulf Breeze, Fla./Milton) gave up one run, scattered seven hits, and struck out three for the win.

Stacey Suplicki (New London, Conn./Saint Bernard) roped a single through the left side of the infield to drive in Nikki Hoxie (Winsted, Conn./The Gilbert School) for the early 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the first, Lesley took the lead with two runs on an infield single by Sarah Wilson (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) and a sacrifice fly by Georgia Saltzman (Lynn, Mass./Lynn English). The Lynx scored an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning as Jenna Fralick doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Jodi Fralick into left field. 

Kristina Torres (Groton, Conn./Fitch) took the loss despite only giving up five hits and three runs, while Lindsey Donelin (Niantic, Conn./Stonington) and Marissa Thomas (New London, Conn./Saint Bernard) each had two hits in the game.

NECC Championship Game Two - Mitchell College 3, Lesley University 7

Lesley struggled with six errors in the deciding title game against Mitchell, but the Lynx avoided any major scoring by the Mariners to secure the 7-3  win the NECC Championship. 

Mitchell once again scored in the top of the first inning with two runs on just one hit and three Lesley errors.  Hoxie and Liz Roy (Jewett City, Conn./Griswold) both scored runs in the inning.

Lesley's Wilson helped chip a run off the Mariners' lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the first that drove in Jodi Fralick. 

The Mariners scored their third run of the game after Sara Krolikowski (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) doubled to deep left center field with two outs.  Suplicki singled to left field but the ball was misplayed, allowing Krolikowski to cross home plate.

Down 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lynx rallied once again to score six runs with Wilson adding to her RBI total with a two-RBI single, an RBI single by Spaziante,  a two-run double by Christina DiGiorgio (Lowell, Mass./Lowell), and on an error.

Lesley's Burnett closed out the rest of the game to solidify her third victory of the day and the fourth of the tournament, giving up three unearned runs on six hits while striking out four.  Her counterpart, Torres, yielded nine hits and four earned runs in her fourth appearance in the two day tournament and earned her All-Tournament Team honors.

All Tournament Team selections Roy and Krolikowski finished 3-for-4 with a run and 1-for-4 with a run and a double respectively.  Suplicki was 1-for-3 at the plate, and the Mariners only made one error in the field in the game.

NECC Championship All-Tournament Team

Kerrie Bowden - Senior, Shortstop, Elms College
Alison McBride - Sophomore, Outfield, Elms College
Tiana Winter - Sophomore, Catcher, Daniel Webster College
Samantha Langlois - Freshman, Pitcher, Daniel Webster College
Liz Roy - Senior, Second Baseman, Mitchell College
Kristina Torres - Freshman, Pitcher, Mitchell College
Sara Krolikowski - Junior, Catcher, Mitchell College
Jodi Fralick - Junior, Catcher, Lesley University
Sarah Wilson - Senior, Third Baseman, Lesley University

Tournament MVP, Alicia Burnett - Senior, Pitcher, Lesley University