SOFTBALL GETS BACK ON TRACK WITH TWIN BILL SWEEP

The Mount Ida College women’s softball team captured a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victories this past Sunday over hosting Johnson & Wales University by scores of 8-3 and 8-0.  The Mustangs improve to 8-7 overall standing 3-5 in league play.

Mount Ida took the early 2-0 lead in the fourth when freshman Danielle Mitchell (Whitman, MA/Whitman-Hanson Regional) hit an RBI double to left-center scoring fellow rookie Cortney Rebello (North Dartmouth, MA/Great New Bedford Regional) who led off the inning with a walk. Erin Dufficy (Shelton,  CT/Shelton) then laced a single to center scoring Mitchell. Mitchell sparked the top of the fifth for the Mustangs with a two-run triple to right field. Freshman Chaise Courbon (Monroe, CT/Masuk) later grounded out producing the fourth run of the inning bringing the score to 6-0 after four and a half.  Johnson & Wales cut into the Mustangs lead in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Ellis Kim (Glendale, Calif.) produced a fielders-choice to short, scoring Lauren Lomonaco (Southampton, N.J.). A long double to right-center off the bat of Rachael Marino (Northbridge, Mass.) and a single up the middle by Olivia England (Natick, Mass.) finished off the scoring for JWU in the inning.

Mount Ida struck back quickly with two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a sac-fly by Rebello and a triple by sophomore Erica Belliveau (Tewksbury, MA/Tewksbury). The Wildcats were shut down in the sixth and seventh innings giving Mount Ida the 8-3 victory in game one. Erin Dufficy was 3-for-3 with an RBI for the Mustangs while Lomonaco was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the setback for JWU.

 
In the nightcap, Mount Ida's top three hitters each tallied singles to setup four runs on five hits in the top of the first inning. The Mustangs produced another run in the next inning with a miscue by the JWU defense. A single led off the fourth inning and then back-to-back triples by Rebello and Belliveau gave the Mustangs a 8-0 lead after three and a half.

Senior Liana Rivera (Queens, N.Y.) was 2-for-2 in game two for the Wildcats. Mustang pitcher Devan Meeker (Bantam, CT/Litchfield) was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored while pitching five scoreless innings. 

The Mustangs will host Pine Manor College this coming Wednesday starting at 3:00 p.m. for another GNAC match-up.