MUSTANGS DROP TWIN BILL TO NORWICH UNIVERSITY OF SENIOR DAY, Senior Captain Ashley Kowarsky Recognized

The Mount Ida College Women’s Softball team dropped today’s Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) twin bill to Norwich University on senior day 6-3 and 11-5. The Mustangs fall to 9-25 overall and 7-15 in the GNAC, while the Cadets, who are currently on the playoff bubble, improve to 17-15, 13-11 in the league.

Senior captain Ashley Kowarsky (Springfield, MA/Longmeadow) was recognized today for her four year dedication to the program. She is the all time career leader in walks with 65.

The visitors would start the scoring in game one, tallying one in the opening inning off a single to left field. The hosts managed to take the early 2-0 lead starting in the bottom of the first with freshman Becky Tisbert (Cambridge, VT/Lamoille Union) crossing the plate off a pass ball for run number one. They would tack on one more on a fielder’s choice by sophomore Katie Lorenco (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester).

After a scoreless second, the Cadets came out swinging in the third with two consecutive doubles by senior Codi Collins (Waterbury, VT/Harwood Union) and Marley Balasco (Barrington, RI/LaSalle Academy). Balasco would drive in Collins and the visitors would eventually put up one more score on fielder’s choice, taking the 3-2 advantage going into the fourth.

Things would stay where they were until the top of the fifth when the Cadets poured on the offense with three more runs taking the 6-2 lead. It was all but over from then on for the Mustangs, who were only able to muster one more score off a single by senior Lindsay Schwartz (Stoughton, MAStoughton) in the bottom of the sixth. Game one would go to Norwich taking the 6-3 victory at the midway point in the double dip.

It was all about the Cadets in game two tallying 10 runs in the opening four innings, including a five run third which started with a two run homer by sophomore Whitney Grennon (Franklin, VT/Missisquoi Valley).

After a visiting pitching change, Mount Ida would match the five runs in the bottom of the fourth, two coming off bases loaded walks. Freshman Lauren Garnick (Boxford, MA/Masconomat Regional) singled into left field to cap off the inning, driving in her first run of the doubleheader.

It would be all but over from then on, with the Cadets re-inserting their ace, freshman Mackenzie Pratt (Hyde Park, VT/Lamoille Union) to shut down the Mustangs in the final three innings. They would walk away with their second victory, winning 11-5 for the sweep.

Junior Kerri Kwasek (Framingham, MA/Framingham) would take the game one loss and Kowarsky would drop game two, while visiting pitcher Pratt took both victories.

The Mustangs will head out on the road to Emmanuel College tomorrow for their fourth consecutive twin bill starting at 12:30 p.m.