Softball Takes Two From Bay Path
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team
captured both ends of an NECC doubleheader against Bay Path College
on Sunday afternoon by final scores of 6-3 and 10-7.
Mitchell (12-6 overall, 6-0 NECC) remained undefeated in conference
play and improved to 10-0 on its home field. Bay Path dropped to
11-13 overall and 0-4 in NECC play.
Game 1 – Mitchell 6, Bay Path 3
Mitchell jumped out to a 2-0 lead with runs in the third and fourth
innings. Sophomore Marissa
Thomas scored on a double steal in the third while senior Sara Krolikowski plated the run in the fourth with a
double that scored freshman Meghan
Burke.
Bay Path tied things up at 2-2 in the fifth thanks to a double by
Kellie Lastowski that scored runners from second and third. The
Mariners answered with a run in their half of the frame on an RBI
single by Burke to go up 3-2.
The Wildcats pushed across a run in the sixth to tie the game once
again. Sarah Gates drew a one-out walk and then went from first to
third on a single by Maeghan Whitcomb. Gates then scored on a fly
ball to right field by Sarah Safron.
Mitchell took control with a three-run sixth. Sophomore Shannen Pelletier drove in a run with a single while
junior Jen Bordonaro brought home another run with a
double.
Sophomore pitcher Kristina Torres slammed the door in the seventh,
improving to 5-4 on the season. She gave up three runs on five hits
and struck out eight in 7.0 innings of work. Bay Path starter
Jessica Nizinski gave up six runs (two earned) on 11 hits and
struck out three without issuing a walk.
Game 2 – Mitchell 10, Bay Path 7
Whitcomb gave the Wildcats an early lead with an RBI double in the
first that scored Gates. Mitchell responded with two runs in the
home half of the first and then added four more runs in the second.
Krolikowski drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the first run in the
second, and Bordonaro later scored on a wild pitch. Senior Michele Anderson capped the rally with a two-out single
that scored a pair to put the Mariners up 6-1.
Bay Path answered with four runs in the third inning. Whitcomb
started the scoring with a bases-loaded single that brought in a
run, and both Gates and Samantha Gunseth scored on a
fielder’s choice. Safron scored the final run to cap the
rally thanks to a Mitchell fielding error.
The Mariners never relinquished the lead, picking up four more runs
in the fifth to go up 10-5. Pelletier came through with another RBI
single while Bordonaro added an RBI double. Sophomore Nikki
Hoxie plated the final runs with a sacrifice fly to center that
scored two runners due to a Bay Path throwing error.
The Wildcats scored two runs in the seventh inning but
couldn’t climb all the way back. Whitcomb drove in both runs
with a single and finished 3-for-4 in the game with four RBI.
Bordonaro led the Mitchell offense with a 4-for-4 effort and scored
three runs while Anderson went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Thomas improved to 7-2 overall in the circle for the Mariners. She
threw 4.0 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits
and struck out four. Torres pitched the final three innings and
earned her first save of the season, allowing two runs on three
hits.
Bay Path starter Ashley Provost yielded 10 runs (eight earned) on
eight hits over six innings. She struck out six but walked seven
and dropped to 5-5 on the season.
Mitchell returns to action at Coast Guard on Tuesday, April 13 at 3
p.m.
