NEW LONDON, CT. – The Wesleyan softball team completed a sweep of a Tuesday afternoon double-header against non-conference opponent Mitchell. The Cardinals dominated in game number one of the two-game afternoon, jumping out to a 5-0 lead through 4 ½ innings of play. The lead got trimmed to three heading into the 7
th, but Wesleyan exploded for six in the top half to finish off a 11-3 victory. In game number two it was the Mariners of Mitchell who got out to a fast start, grabbing a 4-0 1
st inning advantage. The Cards would work their way back into it, using a seven-run 5
th to take the lead at 9-6. The Mariners made Wesleyan sweat in the bottom of the 7
th, bringing across two, but the tying run was stranded on third base and the Cardinals secured a 9-8 victory. Mitchell drops both games of the double-header, falling to 10-8 on the season. Wesleyan completes the sweep, improving to 10-12.
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS (11-3 WIN)
- Wesleyan got off to a fast start with back-to-back doubles to open the game from Lizzie Marino '25 and Hannah Docktor '24 that got the Cards on the board at 1-0. Molly Lennon '26 extended the extra-base hit streak to three to open the contest with a triple to center that scored Docktor and Wesleyan secured a early 2-0 lead
- Kelly Baker '26 was dominant in the circle, holding the Mariners without a hit over the first five innings of play. The Wesleyan bats continued to supply her with runs, adding two more in the 3rd as Isabella Secaira-Cotto '25 joined the hit parade with a RBI-single to center and the Wesleyan lead was up to four after three innings
- Each team added a run in the 4th, then Mitchell added another in the 6th which made the game interesting heading into the final frame at 5-2. The Cardinals then came through with six insurance runs on five hits and four Mitchell errors that helped but the game away. Darlene De La Cruz '25 and Docktor both delivered RBI-singles and Wesleyan came away with a 11-3 victory
NOTES:
- Baker (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 K's) picked up her 2nd win of the season, pitching a complete game
- Five Cardinals had multi-hit games, with Docktor (4-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBIs) leading the way with a career-high four hits
- Cardinals finish with a season-high 15 hits, holding the Mariners to just four
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS (9-8 WIN)
- In game two it was Mitchell that got off to a hot offensive start, bringing home four runs in the opening inning to take a commanding lead. The Mariners finished the inning with three hits, capitalizing on two Wesleyan errors in the field to get out in front. Mariners pitching was also off to an impressive start, holding the Cards to just one hit through the first three innings of play and headed into the 4th still holding a 4-0 advantage.
- Wesleyan finally began to break through at the plate in the middle innings, starting with a two-hit two-run 4th inning to trim the deficit in half. The Cardinals then built off that momentum to erupt for seven-run 5th inning that swung the game completely in their favor. The Cards finished the inning with four hits, with the two big ones coming from Secaira-Cotto on a base clearing three-run double and Marino on an RBI- single back up the middle. They would head into the bottom of the 5th now sporting a 9-4 lead
- Mitchell tried to work their way back into it, adding a run to make it 9-5 heading into the final frame. Wesleyan couldn't get anything going in their half of the 7th, bringing the Mariners up in their last at-bats of the contest. After a groundout to open the half-inning, they hit consecutive doubles and the Wesleyan lead was down to two. They drove in another on a single, but with the tying run on third Brooklin Williams '23 shut the door to complete the sweep
NOTES:
- Docktor (2-for-3, 2 R) was the only Cardinal with multiple hits in the game. The junior finished the double-header 6-for-8 with four runs and two RBIs
- Secaira-Cotto (1-for-4, R, 4 RBIs) finished with a career-high four RBIs
- Mitchell outhit Wesleyan 11-7
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan returns to NESCAC play with a home double-header against Bates on Saturday April 8
th at 12 and 2 pm.