Softball Sails Past Mitchell College With Doubleheader Sweep

Box Scores

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Elms College junior pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) tossed a complete-game victory in game two and went 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored at the plate to help lift the Blazers to a sweep of Mitchell College in Saturday afternoon's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball doubleheader in New London, Conn.

Elms won the first game 6-3 and posted a 5-3 victory in game two to complete the twinbill sweep and improve to 14-10 overall, 8-0 in NECC play. Mitchell falls to 8-14 on the season, 5-3 in conference play following the two losses.

Elms 6, Mitchell 3

Holding a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, Elms added to its lead when freshman first baseman Allyson Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) delivered a leadoff bunt single and then advanced to third on a one-out double by senior pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) to give the Blazers two runners in scoring position. Freshman designated player Isaira Caraballo (Springfield, Mass.) then drove in Witaszek when she reached on an error before senior right fielder Alison McBride (East Providence, R.I.) banged an RBI single to center field to score junior Kaylyn Conroy (Pittsfield, Mass.) who entered as a pinch-runner for Meeker. Junior shortstop Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.) then connected for an RBI groundout to give Elms a 4-0 lead.

A run in the top of the fifth inning gave the Blazers a 5-0 edge before Mitchell rallied to score three in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a bases-clearing three-run double by Tiffany Person (Waterbury, Conn.) to pull the Mariners to within two at 5-3.

From there, Elms extended its lead back to three with a run in the top of the seventh when sophomore third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) doubled to begin the frame, moved to third on a ground out, and then scored on an RBI base hit by sophomore second baseman Alexandra Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.) to help the Blazers seal a 6-3 victory.

Meeker was stellar in the circle for the Blazers, tossing seven strikeouts in seven innings en route to her eighth victory of the season (8-5).

Bonavita finished with three RBI in the win, while Bonavita, Butt and sophomore catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) contributed two hits each.

Mitchell's starting pitcher Marissa Thomas (New London, Conn.) struck out three but suffered the complete game loss.

Elms 5, Mitchell 3

In the bottom of the third stanza, Mitchell scored twice to break a scoreless tie as Meghan Burke (Bronx, N.Y.) cracked a two-run homer to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead.

Elms answered in the top of the fourth when Caraballo reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and then raced to third on a passed ball before a single by Lipscomb sent her full circle. A run-scoring single by Butt drove in McBride who had reached earlier in the frame via a walk but an inning-ending groundout left the score knotted at 2-2.

Elms forged ahead in the top of the fifth inning when Bonavita belted a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then scored on a two-out RBI two-bagger by Hampton. Caraballo then drove in Hampton when she reached on a two-base error to set the score at 4-2.

An RBI single in the bottom of the fifth frame by Stacey Suplicki (New London, Conn.) cut the Mariners' deficit to one at 4-3, but Elms' junior left fielder Marlene DiRaimo (Cranston, R.I.) reached on an error with one out in the top of the seventh and pinch-runner Jessica Cockshaw (Palmer, Mass.) scored when Caraballo laced a triple to set the score at 5-3.

Hampton then hurled her fourth scoreless inning of the game to help the Blazers seal the win and sweep. Hampton finished with three hits and an RBI and tossed six strikeouts to improve to 6-5 in the circle on the season.

Butt added three hits, while Caraballo drove in two runs to highlight the win.

Mitchell's Tricia Tomaselli (Guilford, Conn.) fanned six hitters but suffered the loss to fall to 3-8 on the season.

Burke finished with two RBI, while Brittany Zaccaria (White Plains, N.Y.) delivered two hits in the loss.

Elms returns to NECC doubleheader action on Wednesday, April 20 when it hosts Southern Vermont College at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at Cheryl R. Condon Field.