Softball Season Ends in GNAC Play-In Game
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#5S Regis (Mass.) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 2 |
|
#4S Mitchell | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 3 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College softball team saw their season come to an end on Tuesday afternoon, falling to Regis College, 13-11, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championship Tournament Play-In Game at Alumni Field.
Junior Kaylee Drago (Danbury, Conn.) was 2-3 with a pair of home runs and three RBI for the Mariners. Senior Brooke Whitmarsh (Portsmouth, R.I.) had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three, while seniors Emma LaBreck (Rollinsford, N.H.) and Christina Housley (Norfolk, VA) had two doubles, as did junior Cassandra Roman (New London, Conn.).
The Pride opened the scoring in the top of the first after Bianca Burke laced a leadoff triple and was driven home on a single to the pitcher by Chloe Beland. Regis then made it a 3-0 game, plating a pair of runs the next inning on an RBI triple off the bat of Lynsey Kay and a run-scoring bunt single by Madi Zancan.
The Mariners trimmed the deficit to two in the bottom of the second frame on a solo home run to left field by Kaylee Drago, her second of the season. Mitchell jumped ahead to their first lead of the game, 4-3, the following inning after Emma LaBreck hit an RBI double to right-center, before Drago belted her second homer of the game, a two-run shot sent soaring over the left-center fence.
After Regis third baseman Mel Rees drove in the tying run in the top of the fifth with an RBI groundout, the Mariners leapt back on top when sophomore Brooke Clancy (East Haven, Conn.) delivered a two-out pinch hit two-run single in the bottom half of the inning, before a Regis fielding error followed, allowing another run to come home.
Trailing 7-4, the Pride erupted for five runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead, 9-7. The Mariners got one back in the bottom of the inning to make it a one-run game, but were unable to get any closer, as Regis pushed four more runs across in the seventh. The Mariners scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to make it 13-11, using a passed ball and doubles by Whitmarsh and LaBreck, but Kate Julian managed to escape with the win, sending the Pride into the opening weekend of pod play in the GNAC Tournament.
Bianca Bruke finished 4-5 with two triples, four RBI, and four runs scored in the win. Kate Julian came on in relief of starting pitcher Gabriella Blanchard and earned the win, surrendering three runs in one and two third innings of work.
Mitchell senior Katelynn Goodman shouldered the loss after giving up three runs out of the bullpen, while recording just one out. Goodman was then removed in the top of the seventh and starter Emily Reynolds (Somers, Conn.) re-entered the game. Cumulatively, Reynolds worked six and two thing innings, allowing five earned runs.
The Mariners finish their season with an overall record of 14-19-1, including a 9-10 mark in conference play. The Pride (15-20, 8-11 GNAC) will travel to Johnson & Wales University for a weekend of double elimination pod play in the GNAC Softball Championship Tournament.
