NEWTON, Mass. – The Lesley University softball team continued their perfect stretch in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) play, picking up wins in both ends of a doubleheader with Mitchell College this afternoon at Taylor Field on the campus of Lasell College. Lynx sophomore Jordan Thomas (Fitchburg, Mass.) got the nod in both games, completing her fourth consecutive shutout in a 4-0 win in game one while picking up her seventh win of the season in a 9-4 victory in game two. The lefty lowered her ERA to a team-leading 2.74 on the year.
Game One: Mitchell 0, Lesley 4
Thomas limited the Mariners to just five hits while striking out six and walking two in her fourth straight complete-game effort. The sophomore was dominant as she allowed just one runner to advance past second base on the day.
Fellow sophomore Jess Reynolds (Londonderry, N.H.) led the offense for Lesley, going 2-for-3 in the game with a pair of RBI. Classmate Angela Mukai (Amherst, N.H.) finished 1-for-3 with a run while knocking in a run.
Mitchell starter Brittany Fiederlein (East Hampton, Conn.) went the distance for the Mariners, scattering six hits, allowing four runs (one earned), and striking out one. Junior Dylan Riccardi (Elmont, N.H.) finished with a pair of hits while sophomore Jenny Groman (New Britain, Conn.) and junior Lyndsey Ramagnino (Totowa, N.J.) each finished 1-for-3.
Lesley got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Reynolds sent a two-out single to left field, scoring junior Jodee Doka (Sacramento, Calif.), who extended her hitting streak to four games with a single of her own.
The Mariners threatened in the top of the third when sophomore Alexandra Blanchette (Taftville, Conn.) led off the inning with a single and promptly stole second. After Thomas recorded her third strikeout of the game, Groman moved Blanchette to third with a single to right, but Thomas escaped the jam with a pop-up and a ground-out to keep Mitchell scoreless.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Lynx tacked on two more with a two-out rally. Freshman Mekenzi Golden (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) singled to start the inning before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. Golden scored on an RBI single by Mukai who then advanced to second on an error in the Mitchell infield. Reynolds followed Mukai with her second RBI single of the game to give the Lynx a 3-0 advantage.
Lesley scored an extra insurance run in the fifth to finish the 4-0 win.
Game Two: Mitchell 4, Lesley 9
Game two was an offensive affair as the two teams combined for 13 runs on 21 hits. Once again, Lesley jumped ahead first with two runs in the bottom of the third. With two on and two out, Golden smacked a single up the middle to plate seniors Sarah Apgar (Andover, N.J.) and Allison Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) to give Lesley a 2-0 edge. The pair of RBI gives Golden a conference-leading 27 on the season.
Mitchell put together a rally in the top of the fifth as sophomore Shannon O'Neil (Chicopee, Mass.) led off the inning with a ground-rule double down the right field line. The Mariners would put runners on the corners in the next at bat as classmate Emily Morenzoni (Waterford, Conn.) reached on an error in the Lynx infield. Fiederlein followed with an RBI single to right to score Mitchell's first run of the game. After a sacrifice-bunt by Riccardi moved the two runners into scoring position, the Mariners took advantage of some faulty defense by the Lynx to score three runs. Freshman Samantha Ryan (Quaker Hill, Conn.) sent an RBI single to center before coming all the way around on a pair of Lesley errors on the play as Morenzoni and Fiederlein both scored as Mitchell jumped ahead 4-2.
The lead would not last long, however, as the Lynx scored seven times in the bottom of the inning to reclaim a 9-4 advantage. Mukai sparked the offense with a one-out double to left before scoring on a mishandled ball of the bat of Reynolds. Apgar followed with an RBI single to left before moving to second on a bunt single by senior Maria Nazzaro (North Reading, Mass.). Fountain pitched in with Lesley's third straight hit of the inning, lacing an RBI double down the left field line.
Freshman Carlyn Barker (Marietta, Calif.) knocked in her first run of the game with a sacrifice-fly that scored Nazzaro. Fountain also crossed the dish on the play, taking advantage of a throwing error to give the Lynx a 7-4 edge. Lesley would add two more runs in the inning in which they sent 11 batters to the plate.
Mitchell would threaten in the top of the seventh by putting a pair of runners on with two outs, but Nazzaro made a fantastic game-ending catch diving to her right in centerfield to seal the 9-4 victory.
Golden powered the Lesley offense with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with two RBI and a run scored while Mukai and Doka also finished with two hits apiece.
Ryan went a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored for the Mariners and Groman also picked up a pair of hits, finishing 2-for-4.
The Lynx will return to action on Saturday, April 19 when they travel to Elms College for a doubleheader starting at 12:00p. Mitchell will conclude their six game road swing tomorrow, as they also remain in NECC play as they travel to Southern Vermont College for a pair of games starting at 1:00p.