Softball Sweeps Lyndon State in Home Opener
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team
slugged its way to a doubleheader sweep over Lyndon State College
on Saturday afternoon by finals of 12-2 and 10-5.
In the first game the Mariners scored four runs in the second
inning, highlighted by a two-run triple by junior Jen
Bordonaro. Mitchell then broke the game open with seven more
runs in the third, with freshman Meghan
Burke and sophomore Brittany Zaccaria each providing RBI singles. Lyndon
State didn’t help its own cause, committing three errors in
the frame and a total of six in the game.
After sophomore Nikki Hoxie added an RBI double in the fourth to
put the Mariners up 12-0, the Hornets pushed across two runs in the
fifth but could not escape the eight-run mercy rule. Alise Vandel
picked up the lone RBI for Lyndon State in the game.
Sophomore Kristina Torres picked up her first victory of
the season inside the circle, allowing two unearned runs on four
hits while striking out five. Lyndon State’s Natalie Shams
took the loss, allowing 12 runs (two earned) on nine hits in four
innings.
In the second game, the Mariners jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the
first thanks to a single by sophomore Stacey
Suplicki that scored both Burke and Hoxie. Hoxie then added an
RBI single in the second to spark a four-run rally, pushing
Mitchell out to a 6-0 lead.
The Hornets cut the deficit in half with a three-run third. Kathy
Kline drove in the first run while a Mitchell fielding
error—one of four in the game—led to the final two runs
of the frame.
Senior Sara Krolikowski provided Mitchell’s next
three runs, coming through with an RBI single in the fourth and a
two-run homer in the sixth. The home run, her team-leading third of
the season, gave the Mariners a 9-5 advantage. Sophomore Shannen Pelletier capped the sixth with an RBI single
to spot Mitchell a five-run lead heading into the final inning.
Sophomore Marissa Thomas kept the Hornets at bay in the
seventh, retiring the side in order to improve to 2-2 on the
season. She gave up five runs (one earned) on seven hits and struck
out six in seven innings. Shams, who also started the second game
for Lyndon State, gave up 10 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and
struck out two while walking nine.
Mitchell returns to action on Wednesday, March 31 with a
doubleheader at Johnson & Wales at 3 p.m.
